bean counter's Barbell Medicine Log

[bean counter]

Greetings intermediate section, I'm finally here. Following a recent Starting Strength Seminar I have engaged Jordan Feigenbaum to provide me with programming and nutrition guidance and the results of my attempts to comply will be detailed in this log.

Me
Male, 30, 6'0", 92 kg (202 lbs), training since January 2014.

Previous logs
bean counter's novice log (29 yo, 6')
Feigenbaum Foils Fuckarounditis
Rehabilitation & Groundwork: Seminar Preparation Log

Best lifts
Squat: 152.5 kg X 4, 160 kg X 1
Bench: 100 kg X 5, 111 kg X 1
Deadlift: 175 kg X 3, 185 kg X 1
Press: 62.5 kg X 5, 70 kg X 1

Initial macro targets
Protein: 205 g
Carbohydrate: 450 g
Fat: 75 g
Fibre: 45 g

Initial programming
I'm starting with a four week developmental block, training four times a week (two slots each time) plus two GPP sessions. Each major lift will be trained once a week and the remaining slots will be filled by supplemental lifts.

The first session will be tomorrow.

[Gerhard]

[bean counter]

Monday 26 October
Week 1, Day 1

Bodyweight: 91 kg

LBBS
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 5 X 5 @ 8
Belt, wrist wraps, SBD sleeves
127.5 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7
147.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7.5
130 kg: 5 X 5 @ 7.5, 8, 8, 8.5, 9
Totals: 31 reps, 4,035 kg [tonnage PR]

With lots of volume to get through and a time-limited session I had about 45 minutes including warm up to do my squats . As a results I had to leave my ego aside when it came to weight on the bar. Worksets occured every five minutes, and while I thought I might have gone too light initially, I fatigued to a sweaty, hard-breathing @9 by the end.

Press
℞ 1 X 4 @ 8, 4 X 4 @ 9
Belt, wrist wraps
55 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7.5
57.5 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7.5
60 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9.5
57.5 kg: 3 X 4 @ 8.5, 8.5, 9
Totals: 24 reps, 1,380 kg

Although I am quite keen on progressing press in its own right, Jordan has it programmed as a variant rather than a main lift for me. Which, in the context of this session, meant I could only manage three-minute rest periods to get in all the volume, so the weight on the bar was way down. 60 kg X 4 should be @7 for me on a good day, but in the circumstances I couldn't even manage it @9, so I had to drop back to 57.5 kg for the rest of my worksets.

By the end of the session I felt much more exercised than I have done in a long time.

Macros update
Target: P205, C450, F75, Fi45 = 3,295 kcal
Saturday 25 October: P189, C402, F109, Fi24 = 3,345 kcal
Sunday 26 October: P217, C414, F73, Fi32 = 3,181 kcal

Getting a bit closer, but still struggling to be anywhere close to compliance, especially on the carbohydrate and fibre targets.

[bean counter]

Tuesday 27 October
Week 1, Day 2

Bodyweight: 91 kg

Feeling quite fatigued after Day 1.

Comp Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 5 X 5 @ 8
Wrist wraps, belt
86.25 kg: 1 X 5 @ 8
95 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7
87.5 kg: 4 X 5 @ 8, 8.5, 8.5, 8.5
Totals: 26 reps, 1,8740 kg

86.25 kg X 5 was supposed to be an @7 warmup set, but I was weaker than expected and it came in @8. I overcompensated by reducing my single too much, but then landed on a decent weight for the remaining sets of five. Shoulders were a bit noisy but didn't hurt.

Bulgarian Split Squat
℞ 1 X 7 @ 8, 4 X 7 @ 9
Rehband sleeves
35 kg: 4 X 7 @ 7, 8.5, 8, 7.5
40 kg: 2 X 7 @ 8.5, 9
Totals (each side): 42 reps, 1,610 kg

This was a new and learning experience. I was having balance difficulty with a bench, so switched to using a lower step. The rear foot position was quite painful on the toes and ankle on that side. Due to unfamiliarity and awkwardness RPEs were all over the place and I wasn't in a place to attempt sets across @9, but I definitely challenged myself as my legs felt like jelly afterwards.

Macros update
Target: P205, C450, F75, Fi45 = 3,295 kcal
Monday 26 October: P201, C449, F70, Fi25 = 3,230 kcal

Big effort and I complied with all macros apart from fibre.

[indigo]

Damn, Martin stole the show with that gif.

Really well done for making it this far, genuine intermediate programming.

I skimmed some of your novice log, it's interesting to see what you came from and your progress. I think you were around 63kg or something ? I weighed 69kg 2 years ago, when I still competed in bike racing. I also used to be quite proud of it, 'cos everyone who was in that group was stick thin and very competitive. I'm about where you were in August 2014 I think. (gnat's cock away from pressing 50kg*)

I hope to be able to ape your progress, it's great to have it logged like this. I contacted Carl in London, I didn't even know we had an SSC in europe. Aiming to see him in November - I just want to try to get my squat form ironed out so that I can try to squat heavier regularly again.

Cheers.

*OK, VWE gnat

[bean counter]

Damn, Martin stole the show with that gif.

Really well done for making it this far, genuine intermediate programming.

I skimmed some of your novice log, it's interesting to see what you came from and your progress. I think you were around 63kg or something ? I weighed 69kg 2 years ago, when I still competed in bike racing. I also used to be quite proud of it, 'cos everyone who was in that group was stick thin and very competitive. I'm about where you were in August 2014 I think. (gnat's cock away from pressing 50kg*)


I hope to be able to ape your progress, it's great to have it logged like this. I contacted Carl in London, I didn't even know we had an SSC in europe. Aiming to see him in November - I just want to try to get my squat form ironed out so that I can try to squat heavier regularly again.

Cheers.

*OK, VWE gnat

I think I owe Martin an obnoxious gif of my own at some point!

Good to see you in the new log. I was 67 kg in January 2014 and today I'm 92 kg. From what I see in your log you need to train a bit more consistently. I'm not getting stronger very quickly, but gradually chipping away. I am a long long way from the most impressive guy on this board, but I'm glad that I can inspire someone.

Definitely see Carl if you can; I've had some very useful sessions with him.


28 October 2015
GPP

BW: 92 kg

Spin Bike
30 minutes LISS @ c. 100W

Heart rate was on-track in the middle, but went a bit high towards the end. My sore ankle was somewhat aggravated by cycling.

Pullups [8 minutes]
BW: 9 X 3 = 27

Better than expected.

Planks [8 minutes]
6 X 30s = 3 minutes

First ab work in 4eva.

- Mobility

[Gerhard]

Oliver, I've got hundreds of obnoxious gifs waiting in line, this will result in a cold war!

How are you finding the training frequency thus far? One thing I've noticed is that sometimes it works out better to split the cardio sessions from a GPP session if you've got the time to do it. Cardio seems to be the key in facilitating recovery between two particularly brutal main training sessions.

[bean counter]

Oliver, I've got hundreds of obnoxious gifs waiting in line, this will result in a cold war!

How are you finding the training frequency thus far? One thing I've noticed is that sometimes it works out better to split the cardio sessions from a GPP session if you've got the time to do it. Cardio seems to be the key in facilitating recovery between two particularly brutal main training sessions.

The training frequency and volume is a big shock at the moment. I'm not exactly falling to pieces, but this week has been tough-going. I'm sure my work capacity will improve over time and I should get more used to this level of activity.

After two back-to-back squat slots on Monday and Tuesday my legs didn't feel good yesterday morning, but the cardio definitely helped. The non-cardio bits of GPP only took 30 minutes yesterday, so having both together seems to suit me well from a time perspective. I expect to do my second GPP session after lifting on Saturday. That will keep Friday and Sunday as non-training days to focus on recovery.



Thursday 29 October
Week 1, Day 3

Bodyweight: 91.1 kg

Weighted in a bit light this morning, good thing Jordan has just increased my macros (see below).

Deadlift
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 5 X 5 @ 8
Belt
147.5 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7
175 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7
150 kg: 5 X 5 @ 7, 8, 8, 8.5, 9
Totals: 31 reps, 4,665 kg [volume & tonnage PRs]

So, I lowballed the weights, but the final two sets were still wholly unpleasant since I still hadn't fully got my breath back on strict five-minute timing. After the final set I had to just sit down and suffer for a couple of minutes. The top single was at least pleasingly easy, so it's good to know that I should have had a no big deal four-plate pull in me today.

Easily the most weight I've ever deadlifted in one session. I don't feel too bad now, but I'm expecting a sore back tomorrow.

Dumbbell Bench
℞ 1 X 7 @ 8, 4 X 7 @ 9
26 kg: 1 X 7 @ 7
28 kg: 1 X 6x @ 10
24 kg: 2 X 7 @ 7, 7
26 kg: 2 X 7 @ 7, 7
Totals: 41 reps, 2,100 kg [calculated based on weight of both DBs]

Kind of a mess. I'm not used to dumbbells and struggled to control them well. That even resulted in a missed rep with a paltry 28 kg, but clearly it was a technique issue as my remaining sets were too easy. I'm highly doubtful that I accumulated any kind of useful training load, but the practice should allow me to execute these better next week.

Macros for Wednesday 28 October
Actual/Target
P: 207/205
C: 452/450
F: 71/75
Fi:25/45
kcal: 3,271/3,295

Macro target revison
C: +20
Fi: -10

[indigo]

Hey there

DB bench is interesting as sometimes my only training option is a random hotel gym when I travel, so I've sometimes been tempted to try these as an alternative. (EVERY gym has DBs and a bench)

Are you doing these flat bench ? Are you rotating your wrists from parallel to your sides to perpendicular whilst lifting ?

Any reason I shouldn't do them ? Guess they must be technical, since I know you can bench 100kg.

Cheers.

[bean counter]

Hey there

DB bench is interesting as sometimes my only training option is a random hotel gym when I travel, so I've sometimes been tempted to try these as an alternative. (EVERY gym has DBs and a bench)

Are you doing these flat bench ? Are you rotating your wrists from parallel to your sides to perpendicular whilst lifting ?

Any reason I shouldn't do them ? Guess they must be technical, since I know you can bench 100kg.

Cheers.

Hey, having done this exactly once seriously I'm not the best person to ask, but yes my DB bench was on a flat bench. And I didn't rotate my wrists during the lift, just kept them in a comfortable position. Elbows tucked in against the sides a bit more than barbell bench.

The reason not to do them is that barbell bench is better. I only have them programmed in addition to two heavy barbell bench sessions this week. But if you don't have access to a barbell then I would definitely do the dumbbell version instead. Getting the DBs into position and controlling them is the added challenge, so I'd probably pick a weight I could do for reasonable sets of eight instead of struggling with 5RM loads.

Dips are another pressing movement you might be able to do on the road when barbells aren't available.


Edit Macros for Thursday 29 October
Actual/Target
P: 210/205
C: 481/470
F: 71/75
Fi:30/35
kcal: 3,403/3,375