Workout 1
Mon. 8/9/2010
192.0 lbs, scale claims 21.9% bodyfat
3548 kcal, 191.1 g protein, 180 g fat, 265 g carbs, 8 glasses whole milk.
Frighteningly, I don't mind eating that much. I wasn't terribly stuffed until I ate a couple of slices of watermelon after supper; I may have to cut out that kind of high-volume food. The biggest problem is convincing myself that I won't bloat up eating like this.
Squats: 45x5x3, 65x5x1, 75x5x1, 95x5--balance was poor, so backed off and did two more sets at 75.
Rip's technique descriptions are the best I've ever seen, and no one will be surprised to hear I've always done them wrong. The physiological information was enough to show *why* deep squats aren't bad for the knees--or at least enough to convince me to ignore all the other advice I've ever gotten (which was generally not to go past 90 degrees). So this is the first time I've gone anything like this deep, and the numbers show it. I don't believe I was getting the rebound to work properly, but it was the fastest I've ever squatted. Apparently my previous squats were about equivalent to partial box squats. There are plenty of form issues to work on, and a live training session would help, but progress was made. I think I'll have to order the DVD. I also have never done squats without keeping the airway open, as everyone else solemnly demands, so I was turning red and feeling a bit lightheaded by the end. On the bright side, leading with the hips felt good and probably kept my numbers from being even worse.
Bench: 45x5x3, 65x5, 75x5, 95x5, 115x5x3
Again, huge change in technique, but this time all in my favor. I always used to do slow reps without any bounce, and with (apparently) very wrong body position. The result is that stopping conservatively when the lift slowed, as the book specified, I still did three sets of five with the weight I'd measured as 1RM before I got the book. There is no doubt coach Rip improved my bench press immensely. I can feel that I'm moving more weight faster--I could feel some strain in the pec tendons, which I'd never felt before. Nothing unpleasant, more of a little "hello, you never asked us to do *this* before" message from the connective tissue.
Deadlift: 45x5x3, 65x5, 75x5, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5 (didn't like form, backed off) 115x5x2
I hadn't gotten all the way through the deadlift section yet so I may have more to fix here, but never the less there was plenty to fix. It appears I have been bending over too far and substituting back for quads, which is why I took the big wheels back off and finished with 115.
Overall, there is no doubt that the legs are the weak link, especially the quads--I have long skinny arms with short muscles and poor leverage, and my little bench press was equal to the deadlift and significantly bigger than my squat.
On the bright side, I have no grip strength issues with those little weights.
Biggest recovery obstacle may be getting enough sleep.