And so it begins, again

[Big-Green-Mud-Machine]

I found SS after the initial frustration of the fast burn out caused by another previously well known program which was advised to me by a friend who'd introduced me to the world of barbell training 4 years ago. He now knows better as I've since shown him the simplicity of the SS method and the colossal amount of in-depth information given on this very website, all the juicy facts and figures that actually explain the who/what/where/when's and why's of the lifts.

I started at 32 years old and 70kgs, never having stepped foot in a gym before, let alone tried any of the barbell lifts. Fit for the job as they say, but not an athlete or ever having the intentions of being one. No six packs around here!

Like many other people, life gets in the way of the "perfect" training regime, but I got my body weight up to 200lbs/93kgs and managed 220kg deadlift for singles, 190kg squat for singles, 75kgs overhead press, chinups with added 25kg, and 120kgs bench for singles.

Many people have achieved much getter number then I have, or ever will, but unfortunately with work and family life I can't always get the perfect training in. BUT at the age of 36 I have become stronger then I ever have been before in my life and I continue to strive to chase the number ever upwards, slowly and surely.

The first 7weeks of lockdown1 here in England was good to me physically, eat/train/rest/read/repeat on my own in my garage gym, I achieved good numbers, however the solitude and borderline isolation style prison sentence got to me and many other people I know. I had to do a suicide intervention on my next door neighbour. Dark times for a lot of people, due to the reaction of this virus. Getting back to work at the beginning of July was good for my mental health but as I work away around the country all the gyms were closed so all the progress I'd made during lockdown1 were lost since I couldn't train midweek and I'd starting spending each weekend in the ocean for a kind of meditation therapy.

I started to get down for the first time in my life, I'd lost the motivation to do anything and had lost interest in everything I'd previously cared about. This was new to me and I didn't like it. I'd stopped reading the daily posts on the Starting Strength website months ago and I'd lost about 5kgs in weight.

Then last week I happened to talk about barbell training to someone at work who I chatting to about Eddie Hall's 500kg deadlift, I said my goal lifetime goal was 250kg deadlift, they asked why don't I lift at the moment. I didn't have a reply for them that wasn't along the lines of "I feel sad and down and can't be bothered". I didn't want to give that answer. So I got back on the SS website to read the posts and low and behold the first video was Rip telling ME why I'm not supposed to feel sad and down. So I went straight to my garage without even putting my gym rags on and squatted.

It's amazing how physical effort clears the mind and focuses you what's truly important in life, having health and a working body. (re-word that and put it on a poster?!)

My journey to the 250kg deadlift has begun again, watch this space. Even after a long layoff, I know I can build back up to where I was within couple of months by following the simple SS method, and then hopefully surpass my previous best numbers. I want to be stronger in my 40s then I was in my 30s, as I'm already stronger in my 30s then I was in my 20s and teens....

[Clydesdale]

Keep it up, and best of luck to you!

I discovered Starting Strength after a brief sordid affair with CrossFit, and bought my own equipment from Rogue Fitness in 2014. Starting a new business got in the way of training the very next year and I packed the equipment away until last month - November 2020.

I've restarted Starting Strength and made impressive gains quickly early on. It's slowing now, but still progressing. I'm also gradually losing weight during the process. It's tough to balance getting enough nutrition and protein to support strength gains while losing weight - not only what you eat but when. So far, so good but I have a long way to go.