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Thread: Lifting to Live

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
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    Default Lifting to Live

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    First time posting my training progress here on Starting Strength, but I've been hanging around and commenting in these forums for a few years. It's time that I open myself up to the snark and support.

    Background: I've run NLP several times now during the warm months, stopping during the winter so I could focus on my snowboarding and other winter activities, then restarting as if a complete Novice every spring. After talking to a few SSCs about this, they suggested that I try to get at least one intensity set for each lift during those winter months. This past winter was the first winter where I've done that, thanks to Grant at The Strength Co. and our new gym in the garage. So while I'm gong to run NLP anew, I know that I'm getting closer to Intermediate programming, so I'll stick this here. So for now, it's not justified, but it should be in a few months.

    Previously, I had spent many decades involved in chronic cardio, including long-distance triathlons and ultramarathons (both running and cycling), serving as a Deacon in the Church of Chronically Over-Trained. The gym was typically only for the off-season, doing some strengthening which stopped once the training started in earnest each spring. But I reached a point where I wasn't enjoying the process anymore, mainly because of the amount of time that I spent training on top of 60+ hours (or more) in the office each week, all time away from my wife. And I like my wife. So I took a few years off from anything that didn't involve her; we hiked a lot, and when I say a lot, that includes thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, together. We still hike together, but much shorter trips than 6.5 months. Now we also lift together.

    Stats: 53yo M, 6'00”, 217lbs

    NLP history:

    2017 — BS: 185x5x3; DL: 215x5; BP: 155x5x3; OP: 100x5x3; PC: 145x3x5; FS: 165x5x3
    I ran across Rips T-Nation article on “Who Wants to be a Novice?” and started using the template listed there, but not knowing the proper way to figure out starting weights, so everything was lighter than should have been. But, that was a great opportunity to work on form. Plus, the template had front squats lifted, so I alternated both squats, which artificially depressed my back squats.

    2018 — BS: 260x5x3; DL: 265x5; BP: 165x5x3; OP: 130x5x3; PC: 145x3x5; FS: 180x5x3
    2019 — BS: 315x5x3; DL: 335x5; BP: 195x5x3; OP: 117x5x3; PC: 155x3x5; FS: 215x5x3

    2020* — BS: 260x5x3; DL: 320x5; BP: 160x5x3; OP: 115x5x3; PC: 150x3x5; FS: 0
    * COVID edition. We didn't get our gym assembled and ready until 10/23/20, so these numbers are just over 2 months of training until snowboard season kicked into high gear with the new year. In the months prior, I was flopping around the house doing bodyweight workouts and dropped down to 192lbs; this 2 months of lifting got me back up to 210lbs (without milk).

    2020-21 Snowboard season
    — at least one intensity set per main lift per week. Some weeks some lifts got two intensity sets, typically when conditions didn't call us to the mountains. As the snowboarding got good and we were up in the mountains 4-5 days/week, resets were necessary, plus some borrowing from intermediate programming, like sets of 3x2 or 2x3 for the presses followed by back-off sets. Body weight moved slowly from 210-217lbs. BS: 285x5+260x5x2; DL: 350+330x4; BP: 200x2x3+182.5x5x2; OP: 132.5x3x5

    Each of those seasons had some injuries, resets when I probably shouldn't have, and living life. So, in some respects, I fall squarely into the YNDTP category, even when I am following the program.

    So having said all of that, I'll be resuming (and trying to milk) my NLP below, with a slight reset of all lifts so that I can adjust to the increased volume compared what I've been doing for the past several months. The only other adjustment is for the deadlift, which will follow Andy Baker's Heavy-Light-Medium template since I found by last December that the combined SQ/DL volume was beating me up, causing me to miss DL reps. Plus, over the winter, any DL sets of 5 above 335 was a real struggle, even though I did reach a 360 single and a 350 single with a back-off set of 4 at 330.

    So here goes...

  2. #2
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    4/13/21 - Tuesday

    My initial thought was to start my NLP next Monday (4/19/21), but when I started planning it out on my spreadsheet after this workout, I realized that I was going to make a large jump in volume, so I extended that start date out to 4/26 while I ramp up the volume. Also, I can line my dates up so that on 4/26 I can start the standard HLM sequence (M/W/F) for my deadlifts.

    OP
    45x5x2
    75x5
    100x3
    135x3x2
    122.5x5x2

    PC - Light Day
    65x5
    85x3
    105x3
    125x3x5

    Chins (Bodyweight) 10, 10, 10

    The Power Cleans were my first in several months. The last were at the end of November '20 at 150x3x5, so this was feeling them out and 125 was when they started to slow. So that was a good weight to start. It was also a great opportunity to discover what an effective feedback tool a late winter beard is for chin placement during the rack.
    Last edited by Bill Anders; 04-16-2021 at 10:17 PM.

  3. #3
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    4/16/21 - Friday

    This is the first workout in a few months where I've done the standard NLP lineup with three lifts. Each workset was a slight reset to 5x3 of what I was doing as back-off sets recently.

    SQ
    45x10x2
    95x5x2
    135x5
    190x3
    250x5x3

    BP
    95x5
    140x3
    182.5x5x3

    DL - Medium Day
    225x5
    275x3
    305x1
    320x1

    After a winter of workouts in an unheated garage, today's 70F temps outside meant that it was a fair bit warmer in the garage. I'll likely start backing off on all of those BS warmups, although they do feel good to just get things loose.
    Last edited by Bill Anders; 04-16-2021 at 09:40 PM.

  4. #4
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    4/18/21 - Sunday

    I'm still transitioning from my winter maintenance schedule to proper training, which will commence on 4/26/21. I do have to get used to the volume difference between the two, which I'm concerned might beat me up once I'm running 3 days a week. But I'll deal with that when the time comes. The hamstrings are talking a bit right now.

    Re-reading The Barbell Prescription last night, I realized that my plan of running LP for all of the lifts except the DL, which will be HLM, is essentially what Sully & Baker laid out in Program 2C: Masters Novice Program. So my posting here in the Intermediate Training Logs is definitely not justified, but whatever. It will be soon and I'd rather keep just one log instead of bouncing around several.

    SQ
    45x10
    95x5x2
    135x5
    190x3
    220x1
    255x5x3

    OP
    45x5
    75x3
    100x1
    125x5x3

    DL - H
    225x5
    275x3
    305x1
    320x5

    Music - I typically listen to different shows on SiriusXM. Today was the "pop-up" Guitar Greats channel, with guest DJ Dave Navarro (Janes Addiction, RHCP, etc). He played his influences and had stories behind each, which is why I like listening to these types of shows. The usual suspects, Randy Rhoades, EVH, Alex Lifeson, etc., but he finished off with a surprise - Robert Smith of The Cure and the title track to "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me." Both the phone and speaker yelled at me that I was in danger of damaging my hearing. Ha!

  5. #5
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    4/21/21 - Wednesday

    SQ
    45x10x2
    95x5
    135x5
    190x3
    225x1
    260x5x3

    BP
    95x5
    140x3
    185x5x3

    PC - L
    65x5
    85x3
    105x1
    127.5x3x5

    Chins
    10, 10, 9

    A few extra warmups on the squat to get going. The day prior was spent working on a trail crew, which involved several miles of hiking under load, a few thousand feet of elevation gain, and a lot of digging. Thankfully the soil is still soft. And now one of the local hiking/riding trails is a bit more accessible. That work also reflected in my chin-ups.

    Music — Lifecycle listening — The Cure's Disintegration, since it was Robert Smith's birthday. Also, Prince's Sign o' the Times since it was the 5-year anniversary of his passing. Two incredible albums that sit firmly on my Desert Island Disc list.
    Last edited by Bill Anders; 04-22-2021 at 03:29 PM. Reason: Added chins + note.

  6. #6
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    Good to note that you are back at it.

    A note about beards. I fully agree. Not only do they give a guide to the rack but they give a guide to my overhead presses. If they brush my beard on the way up I know that I have the bar where it should be.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by carson View Post
    Good to note that you are back at it.

    A note about beards. I fully agree. Not only do they give a guide to the rack but they give a guide to my overhead presses. If they brush my beard on the way up I know that I have the bar where it should be.
    Great tip, carson. I'll have to pay attention to that today, as the press is on the menu.

    ETA: I focused on this for my second set of 127.5x5. Each rep went up smoothly. I didn't focus on this for my third set and it wasn't as smooth (just a touch too far forward on one, just a touch too far backward on the next).
    Last edited by Bill Anders; 04-23-2021 at 07:11 PM. Reason: Added comment on how it went.

  8. #8
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    4/23/21 - Friday

    SQ
    45x10x2
    95x5
    135x5
    190x3
    230x1
    265x5x3

    OP
    45x5
    75x3
    100x1
    127.5x5x3

    DL - M
    225x5
    275x3
    305x1
    325x1

    Music — Top choices from SiriusXM, Ozzy's Boneyard, Duff McKagan's Three Chords and the Truth, 4/23/21 - Black Sabbath's Children of the Grave and The Cult's Rain.

  9. #9
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    4/26/21 - Monday

    First day of getting back into standard M/W/F LP programming.

    SQ
    45x10x2
    95x5
    135x3
    190x1
    230x1
    270x5x3

    BP
    95x5
    145x3
    187.5x5x3

    DL - H
    225x5
    275x3
    305x1
    325x5

    Music - Top choices from SiriusXM, Liquid Metal's Corridor of Covers, Heavy Metal Women, Week II, 4/15/21 - Frayle vs Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (Live) and Oceans of Slumber vs Type O Negative - Wolf Moon. That Frayle cover is sludgy, just like I like. I was grooving to it before I even realized that it was RoF.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    4/28/21 - Wednesday

    SQ - L
    45x10x2
    95x5
    135x3
    190x1
    215x1
    245x5x3

    OP*
    45x5
    75x3
    105x1
    130x5x3

    PC - L
    65x5
    85x3
    105x1
    130x3x5

    Chins - 10, 10, 10

    Music — Top choices from SirusXM, 1st Wave Billy Idol's Live Transmission w/ special guest Stewart Copeland, 4/27/21 - The Ruts' Babylon's Burning and Johnnie Thunders & The Heartbreakers' Chinese Rocks.

    Notes: Good thing that this was an L day for squat and pulls. We put in a brisk 9+ mile hike yesterday with 2,000' of elevation gain. Everything felt just fine today, but I know that hike put a dent in my recovery from Monday's Heavy sets.

    *OP - I watched a video by Sully where he described the bar grip for the Press as placing the pads of the fingers on the bar, instead of wrapping the fingers. I tried that and it felt great throughout the warmups, but during the first work set, it just felt unstable because it was unfamiliar and I wrapped my fingers for the rest of the reps. I'll have to keep giving it a try.

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