JamesF training log

[JamesFazz]

Hi all!

I started lifting with Starting Strength in 2011 and since then have been an on-again, off-again lifter. In 2024 I became a father to twins and so for now, escaping to the gym twice a week is my outlet to sanity. I really enjoy these old-school forums and so am very excited to share in the community here.

Insofar as training, I'm currently running periodised training for my front squat and because it is so weak, linear progression for my strict press (based on Bill Starr's program outlined here). I started with 5x3 at 48kg week one and have now progressed to 58kg in six weeks which is a great start.

Stats
Age: 36
Height: 5'9"
BW: 81kg (should be at least 85kg)
Best Competition Lifts: SQ 160 BP 120 DL 210.

Saturday, 8 September 2024
- Front Squat: 1x1 at 125, 5x3 at 115
- Strict Press: 6x3 at 56, 1x8 at 43
- Chin Ups: 1x3 at +10, 3x8 at BW
- DB Step Ups: 4x10 at 16
- Side Plank Leg Raises: 4x10

Tuesday, 10 September 2024
- Front Squat: 5x3 at 102
- Strict Press: 3x5 at 50, 1x10 at 40
- Dips: 4 sets of 5 (10, 15, 20, 25), 1 set of 20
- Seated Cable Row: 4x12 at 59.5
- Prone Back Extension Holds: 4x45 secs.

Continuing to taper down the Front Squat volume and ramp up intensity, looking to test 1RM in about two weeks and hoping for 140kg. Strict Press continues to progress well, adding reps or load each week.

[JamesFazz]

Saturday, 14 September 2024
- Front Squat: 1x1 at 123, 1x1 at 131, 5x2 at 118
- Strict Press: 3x3 at 58, 1x2 at 58, 1x10 at 42
- Chin Ups: 1x3 at +12.5, 3x8 at BW
- DB Step Ups: 4x10 at 20
- Side Plank Leg Raises: 4x10.

Front Squat really strong, expecting a fairly significant PR next week.

Top Single: https://youtube.com/shorts/px8wDg5Si...fXs90uvwyN0UQQ.

[JamesFazz]

Tuesday, 17 September 2024
- Front Squats: 5x2 @ 105
- Strict Press: 1 @ 60, 3x5 @ 52
- Dips: 5xBW, 5x10, 3x15, 3x20, 3x25, 3x30
- Seated Cable Row: 3x12 @ 65, 1x9.

Weights felt quite heavy this session, I suppose I’m carrying a lot of fatigue from Saturday. Still, a good Front Squat PR looks likely on Saturday.

[JamesFazz]

Saturday, 21 September 2024
- Front Squat: 1x1 at 125, 1x1 at 130, 1x1 at 136 (PR)
- Strict Press: 4x3 at 58, 1x8 at 45
- Chin Ups: 1x3 at BW+15, 3x6 at BW+5
- YT Raises: 1x15 & 1x12 at 4
- EZ-Bar Curl: 1x16 at 30.

The Front Squat PR attempt went well, a true grinder, but we finished without serious complications:https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eRbUsxqbHSI

I was pretty zapped from the PR so the presses suffered but were not terrible.

[Maybach]

You know what's a real nice exercise to get your front squat up?

[JamesFazz]

You know what's a real nice exercise to get your front squat up?

Bosu Ball Goblet Squats?

I’m re-adding Back Squats as the hypertrophy movement on the Saturday, I agree a 1:1 split makes more sense than two Front Squat sessions. I’ll start with 3-4 x 6-8 and proceed from there for a month then re-evaluate.

[JamesFazz]

Upon re-reading some of the ideas in Practical Programming this evening, I think 3x5 plus 1x8 back-off is a more logical progression scheme for the re-introduced Back Squats, this will allow me to push the weight more aggressively week to week while still getting in some hypertrophy.

I'm also going to swap out the second Press day, which always suffers on the Tuesday for being too close to the heavy session on Saturday, with Incline Press. This will accomplish two things: (a) the variation will tax some muscles which are not so beat up and so the training will be to a higher quality and (b) Incline Press will allow me to handle higher absolute loads which is very useful.

Therefore the proposed schedule after a light deload week is as follows:
- Saturday: Back Squats (3x5 plus 1x8), Press (Bill Starr scheme), Chin Ups (1x3 plus 3x6), 1 quad movement and 1 shoulder movement
- Tuesday: Front Squats (6x4), Incline Press (3x5 plus 1x8), Seated Cable Row (4x8-12), Dips (Bill Starr scheme) and 1 triceps movement

Some loose goals for the next training block: Front Squat (140+), Chin Ups (BW+40) and Dips (BW+45). No need to set a Press goal seeing as it still progresses week to week.

[Maybach]

while still getting in some hypertrophy

Do you think that getting your 3x5 in will not result in hypertrophy?

Higher rep ranges do not result in "more hypertrophy", they result in *some* hypertrophy, with lighter weights. A single set of eight is *about* as difficult as another set of 5. Adding a single back off set of eight is badly wrongheaded.

[JamesFazz]

Do you think that getting your 3x5 in will not result in hypertrophy?

No, nor did I imply this. It is thoroughly described in practical programming that all sufficiently heavy loads will cause some hypertrophy, all the way down to singles.

Higher rep ranges do not result in "more hypertrophy", they result in *some* hypertrophy, with lighter weights. A single set of eight is *about* as difficult as another set of 5. Adding a single back off set of eight is badly wrongheaded.

By your logic, we could get all our volume in with heavy singles/doubles/triples, achieving better strength gains and the same hypertrophy. Indeed, there have been studies which validate this is possible. The practical problem is achieving all your volume with low-rep sets is more fatiguing and harder to recover from and so to some extent, higher rep sets is a valid choice where hypertrophy is the main goal. A set of eight, even done to the same effort, will produce less strength adaptations than a hard set of five.

Both Andy Baker and Grant Broggi favour programming back off sets to add some volume after completing the strength work for the day. In the 'KSC Method for RAW Power Lifting', Andy Baker says, '... targeted higher rep back off sets and some assistance exercises... will help to build muscle mass...'. He has also made similar statements here.

At the very worst, if as you say, a set of eight is as difficult as a set of five, the only 'error' in programming a single back off set would be the time lost adjusting the weight on the bar after the third set, which is hardly the end of the world.

Note, I don't think programming a single set of eight is going to provide world shattering changes in stimulus either.

[JamesFazz]

Tuesday, 24 September 2024
- Back Squats: 90 x 3 x 5
- CG Incline Press: 50 x 3 x 5
- Seated Cable Row: 67 x (12, 12, 11, 9)
- Dips: BW+12.5 x (8 8, 8, 11)
- DB Bulgarians: 14 x 2 x 12.

A relatively light session after peaking on the weekend. First time back squatting in nine months so kept it snappy, I’ll add weight aggressively the first few sessions back.

I felt surprisingly weak on the Incline Press although I’ve never done it before so not sure why I expected more. I’ll just add +2kg per week and be happy.

The DB Bulgarians were simply horrendous, as expected. I’ve still got a quad pump 45 minutes later!