Jeremy's Training Log

[jlw]

Finally was inspired enough to do this.

I've been keeping a training notebook since I started Starting Strength a year ago, and I've been using Fitocracy. I've also kept a more detailed log going back the last couple weeks.

[jlw]

For context I started all this stuff around the Fall of 2011. I made some solid progress on the normal Starting Strength program for the first 6 months or so.
I had a bit of a dip in the Spring of 2012, then over the summer I started experimenting with leangains using a Revert Pyramid program described here: http://www.leangains.com/2008/12/rev...revisited.html
Initially I made some good progress and got my squat up to ~250. Toward the end of the summer I had some injuries (strained adductor) and did a bit of travelling that knocked me out and caused me to deload. I picked things up in the fall and through the winter, trying to focus on proper form.

Lately I've given up on the RPT model and am back at a 3-day / week linear progression. It looks something like this:
Monday: light squat, heavy deadlift (5x1)
Wednesday: heavy squat (5x3), press (5x3)
Friday: heavy squat (5x3), heavy chinups and dips.

I generally don't do bench because of a SLAP tear in my shoulder, but I'm experimenting with them again. I'm going to the SS Seminar in Baltimore in two weeks, so I want to have a better sense where I am with all these lifts.

And I'm planning on moving to Shanghai sometime in June. When I visited in March I had a hell of a time finding a proper squat rack. Here's hoping I find a good one when I get there.

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: check
Creatine: check
Wt 188
Still generally off from week in China. Fat. Timeshifted

drink: xtend

Warmup: walked briskly to gym. it was cold

Squat: (PR=245x6) 45x5, 45x5, 95x5, 135x3, 172x2, 205x1, 205x5, 210x5, 220x5x2
vid of final set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6e1PtrmzoY
* feel like my knees are coming too far forward
* bar isn't strictly over top of feet
* is that okay??

Press: (PR=120x4) 45x5, 45x5, 65x5, 85x3, 105x2, 117x5, 120x5, 122x5
vid of final set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34spQH1Bp20
* have a moment arm at the start of the movement. i need to get my hips forward.
* should figure out the new "press 2.0" as desrived in this vid: http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...g_to_press_2.0 (starting at 5:45)
lead forward with hips (don't bend in knee!) first, then push up
if i did this i could probably take my rests at the bottom (not the top)

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19234430/

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: check
Creatine: check
Wt: 188?

Drink: Xtend

Warmup: brisk walk to gym??

Squat: (PR=245x6) 45x5, 45x5, 95x5x2, 135x3, 172x2, 205x1, 205x5, 225x5, 220x5x2
vid of final set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAJcCTYfOZs
* 225 was a bit messy
* I feel like my back is weak and my upper body is lurching forward, but I don't see that in the video. Maybe that's how it should feel?
* my knees are coming forward way too late. this is evident in the video.
* my right knee is also somewhat wiggling a lot

Bench (PR=175x5) 45x5, 45x5, 85x5, 115x3, 145x2, 155x1, 165x5x3
* This is my first time doing bench press in many months. I decided to replace dips with it so I could be ready for the SS Seminar in a few weeks
* My right inner thigh (adductor?) gets really sore here when I stiffen up. Even at light weights. Foam rolling it helped a bit. Maybe this is my IT band in need of more stretching
* Otherwise I was able to manage the weight fairly easily
* Still having weird behavior in shoulder after this. Popping. Not painful though

Chinups: (PR=XXX) 0x5x2, 45x7, 30x6
* First time doing these in awhile. Not as strong as I'd hoped.

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19320401/

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: check
Creatine: check
Weight: 188?
Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none, really

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x5, 155x3, 185x5x2
* light day here. about ~80%

Deadlift (PR=265): 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 255x1, 270x5
* new PR. that actually felt easier than i imagined
* a bit hunched / kyphotic during the lift
* vid of PR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA3CM6EoSaw

went with kate. helping her
* kate’s 105 DL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8elC-HdkUI

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19392683/

[jlw]

Sleep: lacking
Nutrition: lacking
Creating: check
Weight 185

Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x3, 175x2, 185x5

Press (PR=122x5): 65x5x2, 85x3, 95x5

* generally feeling like absolute shit today. lightheaded, feverish, a bit nauseous. i’d had a mild stomach bug since yesterday afternoon and I think it’s triggered some of these other symptoms
* I also realized that this is my 4th workout in 8 days. I haven’t ever gotten more than a single day’s rest lately. I’m probably a bit overtrained
* Just got my first lifting shoes (Nike Romaleo 2) and was excited to use them. Also going on vacation for half a week and was hoping to get a last workout in before I left. I should have just waited.
* The shoes are interesting. Seem to fit well. I’m surprised how much they really make my feet stick to the floor, more than anything.

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19482376/

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: decent
Creatine: haven’t taken in 5 days
Weight: 188?

Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x3, 155x2, 185x5
* light day

Deadlift (PR=270): 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 255x1, 270x5
* Decent. Didn’t feel as good as a week ago, but still managed to pull it.
* My old boss randomly walked up and wanted to chat w/me mid-way through the work set.

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19707922/

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: check
Creatine: 3rds day of reloading phase
Weight: 188?
Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x3, 175x2, 205x1, 225x5x3
* Knees were coming in. You can’t see this in the video, but it’s really happening. In fact I’d say shoving my right knee out is the sticking point of my lift.
* Bar also seems too far forward. Is this maybe because of my new shoes that I’m not used to yet. They tilt my feet forward
* Seemed to have a bit of a butt wink on that first set.
* Lower/mid back is the sorest after this
* Videos
- set 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsnoS3pLL8I
- set 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKxlyEKSEHs
- set 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex36n3FRUmA

Press (PR=122x5): 65x5x2, 85x3, 105x2, 120x1, 120x2, 117x5x3
* Failed hard on the first two
* was trying those 120's with the new style "press 2.0" starting at the bottom. wasn't getting them so i reverted to my normal style: starting at the top then down-up. much easier.
* Video of failed 120s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RywkzDMid10

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19803799/

[jlw]

Sleep: check
Nutrition: check
Creatine: check
Weight: 188?
Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x3, 175x2, 205x1, 225x5x3
* Exactly the same thing I did Wednesday, but I suspect it was slightly better.
* Knees still coming in. Adductors may be my weakest link here, as evidenced by their soreness the day after. My glutes too.
* Other weak part may be my back angle on the way up. My hips come up first then my lower back has to work to keep up with it. If I focus on remaining more vertical on the way down--by keeping my chest up more--this doesn't happen, but I'm not sure that's what I should be doing.
* Final set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FaERtpGZ-s

Bench Press (PR=???): 45x5x2, 85x5, 115x3, 145x2, 155x1, 170x5x2, 170x3
* Don't normally do these due to a SLAP tear I had in my shoulder. I've been doing dips more frequently, but switched back to these prior to the seminar next week.
* Generally felt good. My biggest issue is probably keeping my shoulder packed. And I think my triceps are my weakest link.
* Failed that third work set, I think because I gripped the bar wider than normal.

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/19959370/

[jlw]

Sleep: decent
Nutrition: check
Creatine: check
Weight: 188?
Drink: Xtend

Warmup: none, really

Squat (PR=245x6): 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x5, 175x3, 185x5x2
* light day here. about ~80%

Deadlift (PR=270x5): 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 255x1, 275x5
* 255x1 vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7jj6sSS5oI
* 275x5 vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFpKrkh-af8
* lower back still a bit sore from squats two days ago
* on both my 255 and 275 sets, I felt a bit dizzy. more than normal at least
* the work set (a new PR) looks like it has really bad form. again, i'm seriously kyphotic
* the downtime between reps starts out w/good posture, but toward the end i'm really rounded while just getting my rest.

fitocracy: https://www.fitocracy.com/entry/20003412/