Eric's Training Log

[ericchris500]

Male
44 age
6'1" 345 lbs

I'd been working with a trainer for years. Doing circuits and curling 20 lb dumbbells 50x per workout wasn't getting me where I wanted to be in terms of strength or size. Started researching how to get strong and came across stronglifts, started it, and then came here. What follows is my first nearly three months of training logs where I begin with Stronglifts and continue with Starting Strength.


Thursday, January 21, 2016
Squat 65x5x5
Bench press 65x5x5
Barbell row 65x5x5


Saturday, January 23, 2016
Squat 70x5x5
Overhead press 45x5x5
Deadlift 95x5


Friday, January 29, 2016
Squat 75x5x5
Bench press 70x5x5
Barbell row 70x5x5


Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Squat 75x5x5
Overhead press 55x5x5
Deadlift 105x5


Monday, February 15, 2016
Squat 80x5x5
Bench press 75x5x5
Barbell row 75x5x5

finally getting squat form down, wider stance (shoulder width) with toes out 30 degrees


Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Squat 85x5x5
Overhead press 60x5x5
Deadlift 115x5

squats pull on right knee in a weird way, over head seemed to take some effort for the first time today, dead lift was tiring too - belly gets in way, right ankle has mobility issues


Friday, February 19, 2016
Squat 90x5x5
Bench press 80x5x5
Barbell row 80x5x5

back was super sore yesterday and legs achy. surprised I made it here today. feel better today and even better after lifting


Monday, February 22, 2016
Squat 95x5x5
Overhead press 65x5x5
Deadlift 125x5

ringing ears, think I need more cardio, leg hurts from nearly falling down stairs yesterday - surprised I'm doing this


Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Squat 100x5x5
Bench press 85x5x5
Barbell row 85x5x5

ears ringing after squats, assume this is caused by low blood sugar or not enough O2 to the brain. O2 is being used by the lift. need more efficient anaerobic system, accidentally did six reps on 2nd set of row


Friday, February 26, 2016
Squat 105x5x5
Press 70x5x5
Deadlift 135x5


Monday, February 29, 2016
Squat 115x5x5
Bench 95x5x5
Deadlift 145x5

apprehensive about these weights. hoping adaptations occurred
skipping rows in favor of deadlifts


Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Squat 125x3x5
Press 75x3x5
Deadlift 145x5

switched to SS 3x5 to focus on deadlifts and maximal strength


Friday, March 4, 2016
Squat 135x3x5
Bench Press 115x5,5,15
Deadlift 165x5


Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Squat 140x3x5
Press 80x3x5
Deadlift 175x5


Thursday, March 10, 2016
Squat 145x3x5
Bench 135x3x5
Deadlift 135x5

Extremely nervous about the bench press intensity today. I don't think I've ever lifted this much.
I think I'm in the building zone now where every workout is going to be scary, but doable, for a while.


Saturday, March 12, 2016
Squat 150x3x5
Press 85x3x5
Deadlift 185x5

light headed after squat sets
nearly failed last rep of press
deadlift was better - took my shoes off before work set


Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Bench 135x5,5,10
Curl 65x8,6
Squat 155x5,5,8

Light headed after Squat set 1. Not as bad as Saturday the 12th though. Same with set 2. Accidentally exhaled at bottom of last rep of 2nd set. AMRAP = scary


Thursday, March 17, 2016
Skullcrusher 65x10,8
Press 75x5,5,8
Deadlift 195x10, 245x2

Deadlifts felt really good with wrestling shoes rather than running shoes. Could have probably done 2-3 more @195. Increasing weight by 20 lbs for next week.


Saturday, March 19, 2016
Bench 140x5,5,9
Barbell Curl 45x10, 55x12,8
Squat 160x5,5,7

Benches feel real good. Heavy but movable. Could have probably gotten a couple more reps out but form may have gotten bad and/or I may have gotten hurt or stuck.
Curls burned. Probably didn't need a warm up.
Foam roll before squats.
Light headed after first work set of squats. Is that my blood sugar dropping to fuel the lift? People waiting for me to finish squats.


Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Squat 165x3x5
Press 80x3x5
Deadlift 215x5


Thursday, March 24, 2016
Squat 170x3x5
Bench 145x3x5
Deadlift 225x5

Squatting is always scary for me.
Benches feel heavy.
Deadlift form always needs work.


Saturday, March 26, 2016
Squat 175x3x5
Press 82.5x3x5 (first rep from floor)
Deadlift 235x5, 265x1

Squats were hard!
Doing presses from the floor for first rep. Kinda like cleans, I guess. A bit more motion and that.
Deadlift needs change of grip! Added a heavy single of 265 after work set. Used alternate grip. Worked better.


Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Squat 180x3x5
Bench 150x3x5
V-handle pulldown 120x3x8

Pulldowns were tough the last couple reps of each set.


2016-03-31
Thursday
Press 85 2x5,10
Squat 155 2x5,12
Deadlift 245x5

Light headed after squat set 1. Not enough morning carbs?
Hungry before deadlifts?
Sore left glute after deadlifts. (This was a tweak of my lower back.)


2016-04-02
Saturday
Bench 152.5 5x5
V-handle pulldown 120 3x10

Hamstring/glute still sore on left side, so skipped squats. Need a good sports chiropractor.


2016-04-06
Wednesday
Press 45x10, 65x3, 87.5x5x5
V-handle pulldown 70x10, 100x8, 120x3x12,10


2016-04-08
Friday
Bench 155 5x5
V-handle pulldown 120 3x14

Ate a half banana before - in addition to breakfast of eggs.
Bench is scary for me at this weight. Soon this will be a warm up weight. I remember when 135 scared me. Now it feels easy.


2016-04-11
Monday
Squat 165 3x5

Hurt my back a week or so ago. Had to take some time off squatting and deadlifting.


2016-04-12
Tuesday
Press 45x10, 65x5, 75x2, 90x5x5
V-handle pulldown 60x10, 85x3, 105x2, 125x8,8,9

Minor headache. Did squatting yesterday mess up pressing today?


2016-04-14
Thursday
Squat 45x10, 75x5, 95x3, 135x2, 155x1, 172.5x5x3
Bench 45x10, 70x5, 95x3, 125x2, 145x1, 160x5x3
Deadlift 45x10, 135x10, 165x3, 195x2, 215x5

Light headed and ringing ears after squat work set 2. Not taking big enough breaths at the top. Right knee hurts a bit after squats too. 2 and 3.5 min rest between sets.
(3 work sets, different notation from before. 5 reps, 3 times. Previous notation was 3 sets of 5. Now it's 5 reps by 3 sets.)

Bench work set 1 felt heavy, but was doable. 2 min rest between all sets. Last rep of last set was weak. Racked before fully extending. Saying the perceived heaviness was because it had been six days since last Bench session. (3 work sets, different notation from before. 5 reps, 3 times. Previous notation was 3 sets of 5. Now it's 5 reps by 3 sets.)

Was nervous about my back.

[ericchris500]

Squat
45x10
70x5
105x3
145x2
165x1
182.5x5x3

Press
45x10
55x3
75x3
95x5x3

V-Handle pulldown
60x12
85x3
105x2
130x8x3


Light headed after squat sets 1-2. Am I holding or pausing at the bottom. Finally getting the hang of low-bar back squats, though the bar seems to creep up when I am squatting (at the bottom I think). Maybe my head is down. PR on squat and press. Was supposed to do 92.5 on press but went for 95.

[waistline warrior]

Welcome to the boards. Good progress. (Of course any progress is good)

[ericchris500]

Welcome to the boards. Good progress. (Of course any progress is good)

Thanks. Hoping to keep it going for a while.

[peez]

Welcome to the boards. Good progress. (Of course any progress is good)

+1 - welcome to these parts. You're on a great track to improve, well, everything!

[ericchris500]

+1 - welcome to these parts. You're on a great track to improve, well, everything!

Thanks.

[ericchris500]

Tuesday


Squat
45x10
80x5
105x3
145x2
165x1
185x5x3 (3 minute rest btwn sets)

Bench
45x10
70x5
95x3
125x2
145x1
162.5x5x3 (2 minute rest btwn sets)

[ericchris500]

2016-04-21

Squat
45x8
80x5
105x4
145x2
165x1
190x5x3

Feels good to be squatting heavy (for me) again.

Not lightheaded for a change. Did the pre-workout Gatorade do that?

Squats feel super-strong today. Didn't sleep well last night, but have been eating like a pig (for someone who needs to lose 70-100 lbs).



Press
45x10
65x5
85x2
100x5x3

Last couple reps were tough on sets 2 and 3.


Deadlift
135x5x2
175x3
195x2
225x5

Need to get straps. Trouble holding the bar leads to reduced concentration on form, and possibly another tweaked lower back. Maybe use mixed grip.

[ericchris500]

Tue 4/26/16
Bench: 155x5,5,8
Squat: 195x5x3
Squat bar felt light. Like the gym put out a lighter bar.
195 didn't feel light.

Mon 5/2/16
10 min treadmill warmup
Press: 95x5,5,10
Squat: 195x5,5,8
40 min LISS walk at work

Wed 5/4/16
Busted my toe yesterday
Bench: 155x5,5,8
Deadlift: 235x5x2
Straps helped focus on back form

Tue 5/10/16
Squat: 200x5,5,2
Lost my balance on my 3rd set of squats and dumped the bar. Lack of concentration with a busted toe. At least that's my story (for now).
Press: 100x5,5,9

Thu 5/12/16
Bench: 157.5x5x3
Squat: 175x5x3

Tue 5/17/16
Press 105x5x3
Squat 200x5x3

Thu 5/19/16
Bench 165x5x3
Deadlift 245x5

Mon 5/23/16
Bench 167.5x5x3
Squat 205x5x3

Thu 6/2/16
Press 107.5x5x3
Squat 210x5x3

Mon 6/6/16
Bench 170x5x3

Tue 6/7/16
Squat 212.5x5,5,4 (lost balance last rep of last set and dumped it)

Sat 6/11/16
Press 95x5,5,14
Deadlift 250x8

Thu 6/16/16
Bench 172.5x5,4, 155x9 (172.5 5th rep 2nd set: hit the bar on way up, didn't have clips on, balance went out and weights fell off - I fell off the bench too)
Squat 170x5,5,12

Tue 7/5/16
Deadlift: 175x5, 200x5, 225x5

Thu 7/7/16
Press: 75x5, 90x5, 100x9
Bench: 75x10x5

Sat 7/9/16
Squat: 130x5, 150x5, 170x6

Mon 7/11/16
Bench: 110x5, 130x5, 145x10
Press: 55x10x5
531 day 4

Tue 7/12/16
Deadlift: 185x3, 215x3, 240x5
Squat: 100x10x5
531 day 5

Thu, 7/14/16
Press: 85x5 (oops), 95x5 (oops), 105x7
Bench: 85x10x5

Mon 7/18/16
Squat: 140x3, 160x3, 180x12
Deadlift: 135x10x4 (pulled plug on last set light-headed)

Tue 7/19/16
Bench: 120x3, 135x3, 155x10
Press: 65x10x5

Thu 7/21/16
Deadlift: 200x5, 225x3, 255x5
lilterally exhausted!


Fri 7/22/16
Press: 90x5, 100x3, 110x7
Bench: 100x10x5

Tue 7/26/16
Bench: 160x5,5,8
Squat: 190x5,5,10

Thu 7/28/16
Press: 112.5x5, 5, 8
Lat-pull: 130x8x3
DB curl: 20x10x5

Sat 7/30/16
Bench: 165x5, 5, 9
Squat: 200x5, 5, 10


Tue 8/2/16
Press: 115# - 5 5 6. Narrowed my grip a bit after reading about the lift in Greyskull, 531 and SS. Cleaning first rep of each set off the floor.
Squat: 205# - 5 5 8. Feel nowhere near as strong as I felt Saturday.


Thu 8/4/16
Bench Press: 157.5# - 5 5, 167.5# - 7, 155# - 5. Had wrong weight on bar for first two sets. Did another set at 155 to make up for it.
Lat-pull: 120# - 6, 130# - 6 8. Left bicep pain.
Powerclean: 95# - 5. As warm-up for deadlifts. Attempted 135 but couldn't get it up. I'm tired. Crap sleep last night.
Deadlift: 260# - 5.
Gym felt like shit today. I guess you need shit days to create good ones.


Sat 8/6/16
Press: 117.5# - 5 5 6
Cleaning the bar of the floor for first rep of each set. Want to powerclean 135#.

Powerclean: 125# - 2, 135# - 2
These are fun! I want more!

Squat: 210# - 5 5 7
Okay. Got it done with more than 5


Tue 8/9/16
Bench Press: 170# - 5, 5, 5. Left elbow pain.
Squat: 215# - 5, 5, 7.
Walk: 21:47, 1 mile - afternoon at work.

Fri 8/12/16
Press: 120# - 5, 5, 7.
Deadlift: 265# - 6. Extremely tired after. Got light headed a few times (after some warm-up sets and work set). Felt like I almost fainted after work set.

Fri 8/26/16
Bench 160x5,5,8
Squat 200x5x3

Tue 8/30/16
Press 105x5,5,9

Tue 9/6/16
Bench 140x5,5,9

Thu 9/15/16
Press 105x5,5,8
Deadlift 205x8

Mon 9/19/16
Bench 155x5,5,7
Squat 175x5x3

[Agilic]

How's your bw doing? Why not run SS programming to the letter for a few months and get really strong? Then you will be in a much better position to experiment with other rep schemes, exercises, etc.