AJ Finally Starting Strength - first run through SSNLP

Hello, my name is Andy, I am finally Starting Strength!!!

My first experience with lifting began my sophomore year high school. I was a decent athlete in high school, and spent quite a bit of time in the weight room. I learned all the stupid shit they teach you in a HS weight room; incorrect high bar squats, 10 ways to curl, and upright barbell rows. Post HS, I lifted on and off throughout my 20’s, mostly with all the same bad habits and no log book. About a year ago I wanted to start lifting again, and decided to do some research. I searched the Inter-webs for the best program to gain strength and size and found Starting Strength. Due to personal circumstances I was unable to get access to gym. So I studied the lifts and consumed the awesome content produced by the Aasgaard company. This spring I got a home gym together (luckily just before 'rona hit) and in April started my first NLP!
I was completely de-trained (desk job), and to my best guess about 25 lbs overweight, also guessing my BF% somewhere in the low to mid 20% range. A great place to start the NLP.

Starting a log thread seems like a good way to get more involved in the SS community.

36 years old
6’ tall
208 lb Starting body weight.

Current Goals:
-See how strong I can get
-500lb DL by Christmas 2020

following a Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday 3-day/week lifting schedule.
All weights are in pounds.

I have only been logging work sets.
Log so far:

Date	Squat	Press	BP	DL	PC	Chins
04/02/20	185x5x3	95x5x3		255x5
04/05/20	195x5x3		185x5x3	265x5
04/07/20	205x5x3	105x5x3		272x5
04/09/20	215x5x3		195x5x3	285x5
04/12/20	225x5x3	115x5x3		289x5
4/14/20	235x5x3		201x5x2 201x4	295x5
4/16/20	245x5x3	120x5x3		300x5
4/19/20	250x5x3		200x5x2 200x4		115x5x3
4/21/20	255x5x3	125x5x3		305x5
4/23/20	260x5x3		200x5x3		120X5x3
4/26/20	265x5x3	130x5x3		310x5
4/28/2020	270x5x3		205x5x3		125x5x3	X6 X5 X2
4/30/2020	275x5x3	135x5x3		315x5
5/3/20	280x5x3		210x5 210x4x2		130x5x3	X6 X4 X3
5/5/2020	285x5x3	140x5x3		320x5
5/7/2020	290x5x3		210x5,4 190x5		135x	X6,5,3
5/10/2020	295x5x3	142.5x5x3		325x5
5/12/20	300x5x3		210x5x3		140x5x3	X8,6,
5/14/20	305x5x3	145x5x3		330x5
5/17/20	310x5x3		212.5x5x3		145x5x3	X8,4,3
5/18/2020
5/19/20	315x5x3	147.5x5,4,4,2		335x5
5/21/20	320x5x3		215x5x3		150x5x3	X8,4

Notes: yesterdays workout 5/21 Squats felt heavy AF, glad I get a two day rest before lifting Sunday. Thinking about moving DL's to 1/week with 10 lb jumps. Every other workout might be a bit much on the DL frequency.
I am quite pleased with my progress so far. I am pretty close to as strong as I have ever been, after training for < 2 months on SSNLP. I have never really trained Deadlifts before.
I have videos of my last 10 squat work sets, posted one squat form check to make sure I was not completely off base.

Read in the blue book about the modifications to the late novice LP. A light day may be introduced along with alternating other exercises with the deadlift. These changes will allow you to recover and continue making progress.

And congrats on a great start of your NLP!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ken_L

Read in the blue book about the modifications to the late novice LP. A light day may be introduced along with alternating other exercises with the deadlift. These changes will allow you to recover and continue making progress.

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Thanks Ken, I usually re-read sections of the blue book before bedtime, lol. I was just not sure when you should actually make those kinds of adjustments, I.e. adding a lighter squat day, as I am only ~2 months in. It certainly feels like the rubber is meeting the road now for Squats and DL. I will reference the blue book.

Quote:

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And congrats on a great start of your NLP!

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Yes! Am pretty excited about the whole thing. I also started training my wife. She is making gainz also. She has Zero prior lifting experience.

Today went well. Forgot to mention in my introductory post; I also have type 1 Diabetes. Lifting has helped tremendously in controlling my BG levels.

Squat
325x5x3 - actually went up “better” than 320. Focused on keeping knees out hard so I could get a good “bounce” out of the bottom.

Press
150x5,5,4,1 - Still trying to learn to manage the long kinetic chain. At least I made it to 3rd set before missing a rep. Took a few minutes rest then pushed the last one up.

DeadLift
345x5 - Got DL’s done for the week! :)

Now plenty of recovery is in order, and a few beers!

Rough go today. Rested 12 minutes between Squat sets, 10-11 minutes between bench sets. I will try 330 again on Thursday.

Squat
330x5,4,4

Bench Press
217.5x5,4,4

Power Clean
155x5x3

Read from the novice chapter in PP3rd; going light squat on Friday, then plan to hit 330 again on Sunday. Then will move forward with light squats (80%) on Tuesdays. Also realized I had been doing cleans at 3x5 when they should be done at 5x3... whoops. I will make that adjustment as well.

*EDIT from last post - my 3rd workout of the week is Thursday not Friday

After my 330 attempt on Tuesday my shoulders had ached like a son of a gun (mostly left shoulder). Like a really deep burning ache in the joint that lasted several hours after the workout. By the next day it was gone. Today when i got to my last warm up squat set 225x2, the aching returned. This may be a grip related issue that I will need to continue to research, or perhaps i just tweaked something??? I checked back through my personal log and didn't note anything from Sundays squat at 325x5x3. Weighed in today at 211 pounds.

Squat
265x5x3 (80%)

Press
152.5x3x2 - then did 9 singles on 2 min timer. total of 15 Reps.

Chins
bwx9,5,3

5/31/20 - The shoulder pain I had experienced earlier in the week cropped up after playing a few games of table tennis with co-workers. Pretty sure it's related to previous shoulder problem that may have been agitated during my squat attempt last Tuesday. 800 mg of Ibuprofen 30 min prior to lifting, kept everything in check during the workout.

Squat
330x5x3

Bench
217.5x5,5,4,1 - could not push rep 5 on set 3. rested a couple minutes then got on last rep for a total of 15.

Chins
bwx9,6,5

Officially 37 years of XP today. Good Birthday workout! took 800mg of Ibuprofen 30 min before lifting again. Almost no should pain today. I also worked on actually gripping the bar during squats. I had developed the bad habit of draping my hands over the bar and not actually gripping it when I squat. During squats I also focused on laces out dan!, er I mean, knees out Andrew!

Squat
265x5x3 (80% of Sunday) - Light squat days are a nice little break arn’t they. Active recovery FTW!

Press
155x5,4,2,2,2 - first set felt really strong. took 7ish minutes before set 2 and 3. Had to finish with a few doubles with 1:30 rest between, had birthday beer to drink, had to knock it out!

Deadlift
355x5 Felt pretty good going up 10 more pounds next time.