starting strength gym
Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 40

Thread: Nick's Intermediate Log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default Nick's Intermediate Log

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Hi,

    I'm starting a brand new thread, though I've been through this a couple times. Ran out LP/TM when I was 25 or so, again at 29, and now going from LP to HLM at 31. I love training but have to do occasional months-long trips abroad for work and have repeatedly had trouble getting back in the swing of things. It always sucked to come back about 20% or whatever weaker than before and other things always came up to pull me away (also one time was hit by a car on first day back...). The good news is that I just successfully managed re-entry to US and to gym after being away for March, so here's hoping for shaking that trend!

    Current goal is to keep training and maintain or increase strength while also dropping weight from ~234 (recent max) to at least 210 by mid-fall. I need to be approaching relatively typical human proportions for job interviews this fall. I could do that easily if I stopped training tomorrow and just ate low carb.

    This time I have a small child and that does affect overall recovery and gym time, but actually has helped with pressing/bp strength bc I carry her so gd much. Squat and deadlifts are quite low compared to previous training runs (tho I was up in 240s bw back then at peak) but pressing totals are actually pretty close to PRs for me atm.

    recent PRs before trip, doing adv novice with backoffs, were
    S 345x5, DL 395x5, BP 250x5, P 165x5

    Currently doing the following, basically HLM on squats, TMish on presses, with extra DL bc I like it and used to be good at it :

    Sun:
    Sq (H) 4x5 ; P 4x6 (light); DL 1x5 (light)

    Tues:
    Sq (L) 3x5 ; BP 3x3 (1 heavy, 2 bo) ; chins

    Thurs:
    Sq (M) 3x5 ; P 1x3+2x5 (heavy, then bo) ; DL 1x3 (heavy)

    Fri:
    BP 3x5 (light)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Last weeks' lbs

    Sun (4/16):
    S 305 4x5
    P 147.5 4x6 - hard, will only bump a little
    DL 365 1x5

    Tues:
    S 257.5 2x5 -ouch, need to get used to heavy 4x5
    BP 257.5 1x3, 247.5 2x3
    chins 3x5

    Thurs:
    S 285 3x5
    P 175 1x4, 140 2x5 - wanted 5 on first set... will do triples from here
    DL 410 1x3 -absolutely needed chalk! grip so much weaker than before (PR 490x3) and I don't know why

    Fri:
    BP 225 3x5 -tough bc arms burnt out, will see how I adjust to more pressing volume, and going to heavy triples on press, going forward

    and bw on fri: 230.0

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Sun 4/30:
    S 310 4x5
    P 145 4x6 - s/dl'ed during lunch but had to this after kid went down, so adjusted downward bc I cant lift for shit in the evening
    DL 370 1x5

    Tues 5/2:
    S 260 2x5
    BP 260 1x3, 250x3, 240x3, 225x5
    chins 1x5, 1x10 @ bw 229

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Thurs 5/4: Uni gym closed tomorrow for some reason, so BP packed in here
    S 287.5 3x5
    P 177.5 1x3, 142.5 2x5
    BP 227.5 1x5, 222.5 2x5 -- rx'ed weight was tougher than desired on first set so dropped a bit. not a problem just a little weak after pressing
    DL 415 1x4 - planned on x3 but grabbed the extra rep

    I've been on the good side of 230 bw and 29% bf in recent days, but it's been hard to get a feel for cut progress because of one 3+ lb drop over two days about six days into tracking. I didn't make any purposeful diet change (eg low carb diet) that could explain it, and though I had been very sick earlier in the month, was pretty well recovered by the time of the drop. Maybe I stopped drinking as much? Subconsciously changed diet because I had started daily weighins? Anyway I'll assume I've been losing between 0.5 and 1 lb per week, which is fine, with about 2/3 of loss being fat, which may be fine or not, I don't really know what's typical for that.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Sun 5/7:
    S 315 4x5
    P 146.25 4x6
    DL 375 1x5

    Tues 5/9:
    S 265 2x6
    BP 262.5 1x3, -10 1x3, -10 1x3
    chins 3x5 at 228.4

    Bench was rough bc I did some disc golf in AM with baby and had to carry her a ton, but more broadly think I need an actual light day and might switch these heavy-load BP with the volume BP I've been doing later in week. Seems like with everything else (life, food) I could manage two decent workouts a week, along with one easy day.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Thurs 5/11:
    S 290 3x5
    P 180 1x3, 145 2x5
    DL 420 1x3

    I wasn't able to make it in Fri for bench bc of tight gym hours and childcare. Gym hours to remain shitty in near future so will start up MWF next week.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Mon 5/15:
    S 320 4x5
    P 147.5 4x5
    DL 380 1x5, 350 1x5
    BP 227.5 3x5

    Wed 5/17:
    S 285 3x4
    P 182.5 1x4, 172.5 1x3, 162.5 1x3 - I had the extra rep in me on top set so took it
    chins 4,6,5,4 @ 228

    Fri 5/19
    S 295 3x5
    BP 265 1x2, 255 1x2, 245 1x2 - didn't attempt a third rep, might have been doable if I had coffee and more food before
    DL 425 1x3 - this went up pretty easily though

    A decent week considering bw was 227.2 today and steadily decreasing, and also that today's workout was inevitably going to blow bc I had to squeeze it in at 7am after crappy sleep, little food, and no coffee. Monday was killer with a lot of volume relative to what I have been doing but I think I liked how it turned out.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Mon 5/22:
    S 325 4x5
    P 148.75 4x5
    DL 385 1x5, 355 1x5
    BP 230 3x5

    Wed 5/24:
    S 270 2x6
    P 185 1x3, 175 1x3, 165 1x3 - first rep on top set flew up, but set ended up tough bc I got light headed after that rep
    chins 1x4 @ 227.2 -in a hurry so skipped

    Fri 5/26
    S 300 3x5
    BP 267.5 1x3, 257.5 1x2, 247.5 1x2 - did get the third rep this week, but was v difficult
    DL 435 1x3 - accidentally jumped 10 on this but was fine

    A pretty good week in the gym. Only down to 227.0 bw this week, basically been holding steady last 10 days or so. Ready to stuff my face this weekend at my 10 yr college reunion, so hopefully can take advantage of that with good progress next week too. Love my college gym so will try to get in there for hiit or whatever tomorrow.

    OHP is feeling very good while bench has been a grind, even on mondays. I think it's getting to be too tough to push both so will run with press for now, moving it to friday and swapping bench to Wed. and at lower weight.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Tues 5/30:
    S 330 4x5
    BP 230 3x5, 225x5
    P 148.75 4x5
    DL 360x6, 325x7

    Wed 5/31
    chins 4,6,5
    HIIT on rower 20/140s x4

    Fri 6/2:
    S 167.5x10
    P 187.5x3, 177.5x3, 167.5x3
    DL 440x3

    Only had about 30 mins on Fri. and just squeezed in one set of squats at the end of pressing. Weird week because of memorial day. The squats on heavy day are wiping me out for the rest of the day, into the next. This is a problem since I can only lift during lunchtime, so will try dropping a set. Still weighing between 226.8 and low 228, been like that a couple weeks now, but (scale-measured) bf% still dropping so happy enough with that.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    125

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Mon 6/5:
    S 335x5, 330x2x5 - dropping a set for better recovery and rest-of-workout
    BP 231.25 3x5
    P 150 4x5 - tried ~ +1/2" closer grip and felt nice
    DL 390x5, 330x7

    Wed 6/7:
    FS 135 5x3 - trying something new.
    BP 270x1, 215 3x6
    HIIT x4 rower 20/140

    Thurs 6/8:
    S 305 3x5
    P 190x2, 195x1, 200x1, 180x1 - (failed last at 190, even with scheduling weirdness think I've basically ran out my press)
    DL 445x3
    chins 3x5 bw 228.2

    Had to do final workout of week early, today, due to plans tomorrow. Skipped back squats on Wed. in anticipation but I liked doing something new so will try ramping up FS on that day going forward. Couldn't break through with the third press rep at 190, and since 187.5x3 was a real struggle too I decided to just throw some singles and will shift to a BP focus for near future. I'll sub out a set of Press for BP on Monday, work in higher rep ranges for P on Wednesday, and then push BP PRs on Fridays.

    I haven't really been dropping weight in recent weeks, got to 226.8 but then up around 228 for last week or so. Will try not to drink and do a no carb day or two to see if that gets things moving again. My lifts are in a good place so I'll probably run out my squats before doing anything drastic dietwise.

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •