IronGeek's Training Log Part Deux: Striving for Mediocrity

[irongeek]

I've had my starting strength training log for about a year now. I've been doing intermediate programming for over six months now, so I'm overdue to move my log to this forum. Of late, I've been browsing the intermediate section a lot to get ideas on what others in the purgatory of intermediate lifting are doing. So, it makes sense that I move my log here now.

Anyway. I'm 45 year old male. 6' 0" and currently hovering in the low 260 lbs range. Just trying to hit a few lifting goals before my age becomes too much of a factor. I'd like to hit a 500lb squat, 315lb bench press (for reps), and 225lb press (I'll take a single). But even if I don't hit those goals, I'm still having fun hitting a PR every now and then.

I'm currently in week 5 of Andy Baker's Garage Gym Warrior program. I like it a lot. I've tried TM after my LP (crashed, burned after 5 weeks). I've also done the generic HLM out of PPST. I got great results with it, but I was programming too much volume and it started to wear me down. Then work travel and a vacation wiped out lots of training time. I decided to try the GGW program as it's made to order for someone elderly like me.

Nuf' said. Here's my first day's log:

5/26/17 - Heavy DL/Press Day
Squat - 365 x 5 x 3 (w/ pause on 2nd and 3rd sets)
Press - 160 x 5 x 4
DL - 425 x 5 (hook grip), 405 x 6 (Snatch grip w/ straps)
Pullups - BW x 5

Things felt good today. Trying out pullups for the first time in a while. Elbows felt ok. Can't do chinups yet - left elbow says "no".
Press felt light and easy. I guess these are doing well.
DL felt solid except the hook grip hurts (as usual). Really like SGDLs, so I added one set of these even though they are not on the program. With the straps, they feel great and work my back hard. They tend to get out in front of my shins, though. Gotta work on that....

[irongeek]

5/27/17

Bench - 225 x 6 x 5, 255 x 4
Dips - BW x 7, 10, 6

Just adding a bit of volume to my BP. Trying to get two bench sessions per week to get it moving.
Did a set of 255, as that will be my target volume day weight this coming Wednesday.

[JFick]

Yay! I've always wondered if you were going to start an intermediate log, you certainly are worthy of the classification.

When are you going to have a chance for that 500 lb deadlift? 5 @ 425 with a hook grip is pretty impressive.

[irongeek]

Yeah. I'll get that damn 500 DL soon enough! i was planning on doing it months ago and in preparation did 497.5 for a double. It would've been a glorious moment! But alas, my plans were thwarted by last minute bidness travel and a vacation, followed by wailing, and grinding of teeth.

Of late, my DL is getting pretty strong with this program - 2 days per week seems to be a pretty sweet spot. One medium DL day with volume and a heavy day (one top set). I was planning to test all my lifts after one cycle of GGW. I've got another 6 or 7 weeks to go. We'll see how it goes. Butttt, another business trip is scheduled early June along with missing a week of training. Unfortunately, life stuff gets in the way of lifting.

Anyway, thanks for welcoming me to intermediateville. Looks like there's quite a bit more activity on this board along with some pretty committed people. It'll be fun!

[irongeek]

5/29/17 GGW Week 6
Squat - 415 x 4 x 4
Press - 160 x 4 x 4
DL - 405 x 4 x 2 (Snatch grip), 405 x 5 (normal grip) All done w/ straps
Pullups - BW x 5 x 2

This is where GGW starts to really get heavy. First 4 or so weeks felt light. All in preparation for the last 3 or 4 weeks.
BTW: I've not done SGDLs very much, but I like them a lot. I'm using a grip where the inside of my palms are just outside of the inner ring of my B&R bar. Not a true snatch grip, but definitely wide. I was looking in the mirror at my profile upon DL setup and SGDL setup. I notice I have an almost flat back on deadlifts at setup. In contrast, SGDLs allow me to setup a little more vertically. Maybe that's why I like them. I might do well as a sumo deadlifter (heresy!).

I'm just a ham n' egger. What do I know.

Happy Memorial Day all!

[JFick]

Shits getting heavy now!

Are the snatch grips written in, or do you just choose a deadlift variant?

[irongeek]

Shits getting heavy now!

Are the snatch grips written in, or do you just choose a deadlift variant?

Yeah. I'm definitely feeling it now! Week 9 will be worse. If I survive that, I'll be making some PRs!
One of the notes in GGW states that if the medium deadlift day feels too light, don't add weight, instead modify the movement to make it harder.
I did this with deficit deadlifts earlier, but just tried SGDLs to switch things up. It definitely makes things harder, and more interesting...


Today's work:

5/31/17
Squat - 365 x 4 x 2 (paused)
Bench - 252.5 x 4 x 4
Rows (not strict) - 255 x 4 x 4
Dips - BW x 12, 12, 10
Pullup - BW x 5 (still feeling the water with these)

Everything felt good. Had 1 in the tank on bench each set, but it's getting heavy now.
Dips are taking off -not sure why, but they felt easy today, which is good. Might add some weight next time.

[irongeek]

6/2/17
Squat - 390 x 4 x 3
Press - 170 x 4 x 4
DL - 450 x 4 (alt grip)

Made all prescribed sets/reps. But feeling very under-recovered. Very tired.
But I punched the ticket for the day....

[irongeek]

6/3/17
Remedial Bench Press - 240 x 5 x 4

Cuz my bench sucks.

[irongeek]

6/4/17
Squat - 390 x 6, 6, 6, 8
Press - 150 x 6 x 3
SGDL - 385 x 6 x 4
Dips - BW x 12 x 3
Pullups - BW x 5 x 2

Would normally do this workout on a Monday, but work dictated a change of plans for the week
Squats felt strong. Not sure why, as I only had 1 day to recover. Not complaining, though.
Accidentally loaded 385 on deadlifts. Planned on 375, but misloaded the bar. Didn't realize til the after the 1st set, but just went with it for the remainder of the workout.

One thing nice about morning weekend workouts is that there is no rush. Maybe that's why things went well.