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Thread: 40 Days of Starting Strength

  1. #1
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    Default 40 Days of Starting Strength

    • starting strength seminar december 2024
    • starting strength seminar february 2025
    • starting strength seminar april 2025
    ***
    I have finished this log and moved to a new program.I was on the program for just over 4 months, and was fairly faithful to the routine. I gained 17 lbs., had two injury breaks, and added the following to my lifts:

    Squat
    115 --> 285, 170 lb.
    Bench
    125 --> 160, 35 lb.
    Press
    85 --> 120, 35 lb.
    Deadlift
    185 --> 315, 130 lb.

    Feel free to read through and see what SS can do for you--and buy the damn book!
    ***


    Been on the program for a month and lurking here a couple of weeks. Figured it was time to post for tips, encouragement, motivation, etc.

    31 years old, 5'11", 190, thoroughly average. Unlike everyone else here who seems to be either:

    1) 6'4", 240, and 22 years old
    or
    2) 5'8", 165, and coming off XFit squatting 300 to start the program.

    Not an insult, just not quite there myself!

    Anyway, I was a high school wrestler, did a few years of karate, but have basically spent the last decade sitting at a desk, drinking scotch, and smoking half a pack a day.

    Quit smoking in December, starting doing 'fitness' stuff, and began SS in early February. Still love scotch.

    Let's see...I'm going to do 40 SS Workouts before I reassess and change things up, mostly because it's a specific, if arbitrary, goal, plus that's roughly 3 months.

    Started the program on a diet (and hit a wall) but have since been on a caloric surplus. And I'm doing the Practical Programming Novice Program, and actually bought SS and have read it twice. Weird I know.

    Ok, away we go...
    Last edited by JStrong; 06-15-2010 at 02:21 PM.

  2. #2
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    Default pre-SS week 1

    I started with "fuzzy" fitness goals but a very specific desire to lose some weight--I was right at the borderline of getting past "thick" and onto "skinny fat."

    Started at probably 205 in early January.

    Week 1 (1/17/10 -1/23/10)

    Begin diet--1700-2100 calories per day, started eating breakfast

    4 mile loop 2x (walk)
    moderate daily exercise, 10-30 minutes

    201 lbs -> 199

  3. #3
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    Default pre-SS, week 2

    Week 2 (1/24/10 -1/30/10)

    Sick all week, diet continues.

    heavy exercise ball stretching 1/30 & chest work, 20 min. walk

    199 -> 196

  4. #4
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    Default pre-SS, week 3

    Found SS online searching for "Strength not size," since I don't really want to get big & muscular, at least not intentionally. Now I see that it might be inevitable to some extent but I'm cool with it now.

    I also cut out grain and sugar from my diet (ala Mark Sisson)
    Week 3 (1/31 -2/6)

    Begin powerlifting forms, went low carb, still dieting,
    prep for Rippetoe's w/ air & light bar
    squat press deadlifts, still slightly sick

    196 -> 191

  5. #5
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    Default Starting Strength Begins

    Like I said before, I am doing the Practical Programming Novice Program.

    2/9 - Begin Rippetoes

    Warmup

    5 min bike

    Squat

    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1 <-- little weak
    105 x 5 x 1
    115 x 5 x 3 <--last 2 reps hard

    Bench

    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1
    115 x 5 x 1
    125 x 5 x 3

    Chinups

    4x
    3x --more rest!
    3x <--kick on last

  6. #6
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    Default Workout #2

    2/11

    Warmup

    5 min bike, level 2

    Squat

    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1 <-- little weak
    120 x 5 x 3

    Press

    45 x 5 x 2
    55 x 5 x 1
    65 x 5 x 1
    75 x 5 x 1
    85 x 5 x 1
    85 x 5 x 1 <-- hard 5th
    85 x 5 x 1 <-- 'jumped' to get 5th

    Deadlift

    135 x 5 x 1 <--probably being a pussy, add 20 next time.

  7. #7
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    Default Those Deadlifts

    With the Deadlift, I'd read about not using smaller plates than 45s and didn't see a ready 'stand' to start with smaller weights lying around. Plus, it was kind of intimidating and I didn't really know what I was doing, so I banged out my one set and figured it was good.

  8. #8
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    Default Workout #3

    2/13

    Warmup

    5 min bike, level 2

    Squat

    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1
    130 x 5 x 1 <-- 4 & 5! ; ! = HARD
    130 x 5 x 1
    130 x 5 x 1 <--5!

    Bench

    45 x 5 x 2
    70 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1
    130 x 5 x 1
    130 x 5 x 1
    130 X 4 X 1 <-- fail on 5

    Pullups

    1x
    2x
    2x

  9. #9
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    Default Workout #4

    Dropped from 191 lbs. --> 189. This was great (my first goal was weight loss) but led to problems later....

    2/15

    5 min. warmup on bike

    Squat
    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1
    115 x 5 x 1
    135 x 5 x 3 <-- no problem

    Press
    45 x 5 x 2
    75 x 5 x 1
    90 x 5 x 3 <-- no problem

    Chinups
    4 x 2 x 2

  10. #10
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    Default Workout #5

    starting strength coach development program
    2/17

    5 min. warmup on bike

    Squat
    45 x 5 x 2
    65 x 5 x 1
    95 x 5 x 1
    120 x 5 x 1
    150 x 5 x 3

    Bench
    45 x 5 x 2
    75 x 5 x 1
    105 x 5 x 1
    135 x 5 x 3

    Deadlift
    95 x 5 x 1
    135 x 5 x 1
    185 x 5 x 1

    Different gym, with rubber weights and a platform, so they had full sized 25s.

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