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Thread: A Poorly Executed Linear Progression

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    Nov 2013
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    Default A Poorly Executed Linear Progression

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    Hi There,

    Earlier in the year I moved out of NYC, and had my first opportunity to buy a home gym. I have lifted fairly consistently in the past, hitting 200/300/400/500 several times, regressing, regaining etc, mostly based on availability and the pursuit of other goals. To be specific, I started training with barbells when i was 15, and I'm now 33. I tracked a previous period of training under the log "A Year With Andy Baker."

    With my new found abundance of time, i decided that I would try to replicate the "Well Executed Linear Progression" example from practical programming. My understanding is that Andy Baker ran an ex D1 athlete through this program, during which he quickly regained all of his former strength and then some. While I was never a D1 athlete or even close, I have been "strong" in the past, and thought I might as well give it a go. My goals were the standard 200/300/400/500.

    Of course, as it always does, life got in the way, and I did not follow the LP flawlessly for 20 weeks. I did, however, apply the principles in a similar way, with modest adjustments to my own goals. My time in my home gym is looking limited now, and so I thought I would document this years progress for posterity.

    Week 1 - "Monday" - 25May2020
    SQ: 135 x 5 x 3
    PR: 95 x 5 x 3
    DL: 225 x 5

    Week 1 - "Wednesday" - 27May2020
    SQ: 145 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 3 / 4 / 5 (my bench press bench had not arrived yet)
    DL: 235 x 5

    Week 1 - "Friday - 29May2020
    SQ: 155 x 5 x 3
    PR: 100 x 5 x 3
    DL: 240 x 5

    Week 2 - "Monday" - 1June2020
    SQ: 165 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 7 / 6 / 6
    DL: 245 x 5

    Week 2 - "Wednesday" - 3June2020
    SQ: 175 x 5 x 3
    PR: 105 x 5 x 3
    DL: 255 x 5

    Week 2 - "Friday - 5June2020
    SQ: 185 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 8 / 7 / 5
    DL: 265 x 5

    Week 3 - "Monday" - 7June2020
    SQ: 195 x 5 x 3
    PR: 110 x 5 x 3
    DL: 275 x 5

    Week 3 - "Wednesday" - 9June2020
    SQ: 205 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 8 / 8 / 6
    DL: 285 x 5

    Week 3 - "Friday - 11June2020
    SQ: 215 x 5 x 3
    PR: 115 x 5 x 3
    DL: 295 x 5

    *Family health emergency: out of gym for ~3 weeks. Not sick myself, but incredibly stressed.

    Week 4 - "Monday" - 3July2020
    SQ: 135 x 5 x 3
    BP: 135 x 5 x 3 *Bench arrived during the layoff!
    DL: 225 x 5

    Week 4 - "Wednesday" - 5July2020
    SQ: 155 x 5 x 3 *twenty pound jumps to get back on track faster
    PR: 95 x 5 x 3
    DL: 245 x 5

    Week 4 - "Friday" - 7July2020
    SQ: 175 x 5 x 3
    BP: 155 x 5 x 3
    DL: 265 x 5

    Week 5 - "Monday" - 10July2020
    SQ: 185 x 5 x 3
    PR: 100 x 5 x 3
    DL: 275 x 5

    Week 5 - "Wednesay" - 12July2020
    SQ: 195 x 5 x 3 *twenty pound jumps to get back on track faster
    BP: 175 x 5 x 3
    DL: 285 x 5

    Week 5 - "Friday" - 14July2020
    SQ: 205 x 5 x 3
    PR: 105 x 5 x 3
    DL: 295 x 5

    Week 6 - "Monday" - 17July2020
    SQ: 215 x 5 x 3
    BP: 185 x 5 x 3
    DL: 305 x 5

    Week 6 - "Wednesay" - 19July2020
    SQ: 225 x 5 x 3
    PR: 110 x 5 x 3
    DL: 315 x 5

    Week 6 - "Friday" - 21July2020
    SQ: 230 x 5 x 3 *downshift to 5lb jumps
    BP: 190 x 5 x 3
    PC: 115 x 3 x 5 *I assumed that DL 3x a week with over 315 would wear me out quickly

    Week 7 - "Monday" - 24July2020
    SQ: 235 x 5 x 3
    PR: 115 x 5 x 3
    DL: 320 x 5

    Week 7 - "Wednesay" - 26July2020
    SQ: 240 x 5 x 3
    BP: 195 x 5 x 3
    PC: 120 x 3 x 5

    Week 7 - "Friday" - 28July2020
    SQ: 245 x 5 x 3
    PR: 120 x 5 x 3
    DL: 325 x 5

    Week 8 - "Monday" - 31July2020
    SQ: 250 x 5 x 3
    BP: 200 x 5 x 3
    PC: 125 x 5

    *Missed workouts for no good reason

    Week 9 - "Monday" - 5Aug2020
    SQ: 255 x 5 x 3
    PR: 125 x 5 x 3
    DL: 320 x 5

    Week 9 - "Wednesay" - 7Aug2020
    SQ: 260 x 5 x 3
    BP: 205 x 5 x 3
    PC: 120 x 3 x 5

    Week 9 - "Friday" - 9Aug2020
    SQ: 265 x 5 x 3
    PR: 130 x 5 x 3
    DL: 335 x 5

    Week 10 - "Monday" - 12Aug2020
    SQ: 270 x 5 x 3
    PR: 125 x 5 x 3
    PC: 135 x 5

    Week 10 - "Wednesay" - 14Aug2020
    SQ: 275 x 5 x 3
    BP: 205 x 5 x 3
    DL: 340 x 5

    Week 10 - "Friday" - 17Aug2020
    SQ: 280 x 5 x 3
    PR: 130 x 5 x 3
    PC: 140 x 5

    *Missed time for re-emergence of family health crisis

    Week 11 - "Monday" - 2Sep2020
    SQ: 225 x 5 x 3 *reset mostly due to mental fatigue / to avoid DOMs
    BP: 205 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 4 / 5 / 4

    Week 11 - "Wednesay" - 4Sep2020
    SQ: 245 x 5 x 3 *twenty lbs jumps to get back on track
    PR: 125 x 5 x 3
    DL: 315 x 5 x 3 *reset mostly due to mental fatigue

    Week 11 - "Friday" - 6Sep2020
    SQ: 265 x 5 x 3
    BP: 210 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 6 / 6 / 6

    Week 12 - "Monday" - 9Sept2020
    SQ: 275 x 5 x 3
    PR: 130 x 5 x 3
    PC: 135 x 5 x 3

    *Missed time to care for family member at a hospital across the country.

    I came back with new focus on what I wanted. I don't really care to squat more than 365 x 1, or 405 with a gun to my head. I don't care much about my power clean. I do care about chins, benches, and presses. I'm a pretty shitty deadlifter, and would be happy if I can pull 455 belt free / strap free. So I tweaked my NPL a bit to reduce time spent on squats and PC, and increase it on chins. The bench and press NPL fits my goals perfectly so that goes unmodified.

    I did have sporadic time to train during this month away, which explains the disconnect between week 12 and week 13.

    Week 13 - "Monday" - 5Oct2020
    SQ: 325 x 1
    BP: 230 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 4 / 5 / 4

    Week 13 - "Wednesday" - 8Oct2020
    SQ: 335 x 1
    PR: 115 x 5 x 3
    DL: 275 x 5 x 3

    Week 13 - "Friday" - 10Sep2020
    SQ: 345 x 1
    BP: 235 x 5 x 3
    CH: BW x 6 / 5 / 5

    Week 14 - "Monday" - 13Oct2020
    SQ: 355 x 1
    PR: 125 x 5 x 3 *opted for 10 lb jumps to at least 135
    DL: 315 x 5 *decided work sets below 315 were too easy so made the jump to save time.

    Week 14 - "Wednesday" - 15Oct2020
    SQ: 225 x 1 *light day in prep for 1RM Friday
    BP: 240 x 5 x 3 *PR!
    CH: BW x 7 / 6 / 4

    Week 14 - "Friday" - 17Oct2020
    SQ: 315 x 1 *didn't feel it say may today a "medium day" rather than a 1RM
    PR: 135 x 5 x 5
    DL: 325 x 5

    Week 15 - "Monday" - 20Oct2020
    SQ: 365 x 1 *Local PR versus previous several years!
    BP: 245 x 5 x 3 *PR!
    CH: BW x 8 / 5 / 3

    Week 15 - "Wednesday" - 23Oct2020
    SQ: 225 x 3
    PR: 140 x 5 x 3 *Local PR
    DL: Skipped

    Week 15 - "Friday" - 26Oct2020
    SQ: 315 x 1 *kind doing a HML thing with squats now,
    BP: 250 x 5 x 3 *Lifetime PR!
    CH: BW x9 / 6 / 3

    Week 16 - "Monday" - 29Oct2020
    SQ: 365 x 1 *"heavy" day
    PR: 145 x 5 x 3 *PR
    DL 335 x 5

    Week 16 - "Wednesday" - 31Oct2020
    SQ: 225 x 3 *light" day
    BP: 300 x 1 *match lifetime PR!
    CH: 10 (PR!) / 8 / 5

    Week 16 - "Friday" - 3Nov2020
    SQ: 315 x 1 *Medium day
    PR: 200 x 1 *match lifetime PR! Alright so LP is all it takes to get to 300BP and 200PR - good to know!
    Stopped workout.
    Last edited by jkolt; 11-04-2020 at 11:26 AM.

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