A Spartan's Log

[Rezart Erindi]

I've been around the forum for some time now, and following the suggestions of my friends (Gamedog and MazdaMatt) I decided to create a log. I'm a very tall guy 5'6'' and my actual weight is 171.6 lbs. I've been doing SS for around 3.5 months. Before I did a Starr version, with Front Squat instead of Back Squat, because my old gym didn't have a squat rack (I know it seems strange, but I don't live in the US). Starr's program and better eating helped me gain 20 lbs in about 1.5 months, but since I found and studied THE BOOK, I decided it was time to start SS. So I finally found a decent gym with a squat rack (after looking for two weeks all around the city) and started THE PROGRAM.
Since starting SS I have added another 25lbs. These days I've switched to 1/2 GOMAD, because I've become chubby, but I'm still adding weight (only a little more slowly). I started the program with 88lbs squat (took it easy to correct the form), 132 lbs bench, 88lbs press, 200 lbs deadlift, and 88lbs row (which after a a month I switched to the p.clean even though I have no bumper plates). At week 12 I reached this PRs (after 1 deload on the squat and the press and also I suffered from the famous elbow tendonitis for about 2 weeks):

Squat 265 lbs (5x3)
Bench 169 lbs (5x3)
Press 128 lbs (5x3)
Deadlift 265 lbs (5x1)
P.Clean 88 lbs (3x5)

After this I had a two week holiday, which also came after most of the lifts came to a stall. This was mainly because I added a light day too late, and my eating was not enough. So after the holidays I made a big deload (and starting from 80% of my lifts on week 15), and I'm going to record the log from now on. I've lost about 6 lbs of bodyweight during the holidays (mostly water weight).

Week 16
Monday's workout (weight 171 lbs)
08/09/2010

Squat (5x3)
227
Press (5x3)
100
Deadlift (5x1)
232


Wednesday (weight 173 lbs)
08/11/2010

Squat (5x3)
232
Bench (5x3)
139
Chinup
5+6+5
Back Extension
12x3

After I progress from the 80% for a couple of weeks I'll introduce the Light Day.

[gamedog]

Leonidas -- Great seeing your log up here man, awesome!!! Now I'll be able to follow you!

GOOD LUCK today chief! Can't wait to hear how it goes :-)

[Rezart Erindi]

Leonidas -- Great seeing your log up here man, awesome!!! Now I'll be able to follow you!

GOOD LUCK today chief! Can't wait to hear how it goes :-)

Thanks a lot man. Writing the log was a good idea, already feeling more motivated!

[Rezart Erindi]

Friday's workout (weight 173 lbs):
08/13/2010


Squat (5x3)
237
Press (5x3)
105
Power Clean (3x5)
78

Squat felt heavy, even though it shouldn't yet. Next week, I'm starting Advanced novice.
Food has been good but not optimal.

[gamedog]

Friday's workout (weight 173 lbs):
08/13/2010


Squat (5x3)
237
Press (5x3)
105
Power Clean (3x5)
78

Squat felt heavy, even though it shouldn't yet. Next week, I'm starting Advanced novice.
Food has been good but not optimal.

You're making a wise decision. Granted, I'm not a coach but I have been there and I will say, I believe it is best, once a trainee is in the neighborhood of 240/250 to program-in the light squat day on Wednesdays, the Advanced Novice program. I feel that if I'd done that earlier on I would not have overreached. So far it's taken nearly three weeks for me just to get back into the groove. I think you're doing the right thing, just make sure your food intake is more optimal than not ;-)

Great squat by the way!!! Good weight to weight ratio, too :-D

[Rezart Erindi]

You're making a wise decision. Granted, I'm not a coach but I have been there and I will say, I believe it is best, once a trainee is in the neighborhood of 240/250 to program-in the light squat day on Wednesdays, the Advanced Novice program. I feel that if I'd done that earlier on I would not have overreached. So far it's taken nearly three weeks for me just to get back into the groove. I think you're doing the right thing, just make sure your food intake is more optimal than not ;-)

Great squat by the way!!! Good weight to weight ratio, too :-D

Thanks man. Yeah, I mean it's better to keep on progression, even though at a slower pace than stalling. Also food is very important, and in the weekend I tried to eat much more. Today I'll have to drink most of my milk later in the day, because the milk I took with me at work has gone bad, even though I tried to drink it it was obviously not OK (it's so damn hot right now in my country).

[Rezart Erindi]

Yesterday was not a good day. Apparently the milk had really gone bad, so the 0.5l I drank actually made me sick in the afternoon. I had a couple of emergencies trying to go to the bathroom as fast as I could, and I lost a lot of water, and was feeling tired. Anyway, after laying for about half an hour in the bed, I was very near to skip going to the gym. But, another thought came into my mind: if I was in a war, would I have the chance to skip it? NO. That was not going to happen - I must think as a warrior. So I dragged my ass to the gym. And things went pretty well:
Week 17
08/02/2010

Squat (5x3)
243.0
Bench (5x3)
144.0
Deadlift (5x1)
237.5
(the weight above are the worksets, I have not included the warm-up sets)
I lost some water, so the weight remained the same, 172 lbs.
The first two sets of the squats were fine. But in the last set, I don't know what the fuck happened, because in the first set, the bar somehow went forward, so much forward that I had to make a step to keep from falling. This obviously fucked the rest of the set. In the 2nd rep I didn't bounce AT ALL, an the last 3 reps form went to hell. Anyway I had to finish the set, I've got to keep the groove. Btw, I have to switch to a mixed grip on the deadlift. In the last rep, my left hand was failing. So this was the most weight I have ever done on DOHG, but I must be realistic, I don't have hands like a bear paw like Gamedog :P


Ah, apparently I have hurt my back and my calf, because today I'm hurting. Fuck.

[Rezart Erindi]

Yesterday's workout (weight 175 lbs)
08/18/2010

Light Day
Squat (5x2)
200
Press (5x3)
111
Chinup
6x3xBW
Back Extension
12x(BW+22+45)

[gamedog]

Good morning Leonidas!

Light day is a godsend, isn't it!? Before you know it squats are done, your legs don't feel like they're full of napalm and burning from the inside-out anymore and you can bang out the rest of your exercises no-problem

Great press, and excellent chin-ups as well. You're moving right along! Keep up the good work, stay in your groove and make it happen

[Rezart Erindi]

Good morning Leonidas!

Light day is a godsend, isn't it!? Before you know it squats are done, your legs don't feel like they're full of napalm and burning from the inside-out anymore and you can bang out the rest of your exercises no-problem

Great press, and excellent chin-ups as well. You're moving right along! Keep up the good work, stay in your groove and make it happen

That's right man, light day is beautiful day Let's see how it goes tomorrow, I hope I keep on adding weight, cause that's a very important factor here. Btw how are your chin ups going? They are important, and your wife will be much happier when she touches your muscle (I mean biceps )