you're killin me smalls21 SS log

[smalls21]

So I have been doing Crossfit for a little over a year now, and obviously absolutely love it. But I feel as though my strength and lifting numbers have plateaued. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have lost a good amount of weight from crossfit. So I have decided to take about 3 months off (at minimum) from crossfit, cardio, etc., and follow the Starting Strength program.

starting stats - 24 year old female, 116 and 5'6.5"
Squat - 135 1RM
Bench - 105 1RM
Deadlift - 225 1RM
Press - 80 1RM
Power Clean - 100 1RM

GOALS:
I would like to get to about 125-130.
Squat - 175
Bench - 125
Deadlift - 250
Press - 100
Power Clean - 125
Do these numbers sound do-able/reasonable? Of course I would like them to be even higher, but I would like to see these numbers as a minimum if possible.

Do any of the women on here do GOMAD or 1/2GOMAD? Can anyone post what they typically eat when following SS?

Any advice for the newbie?

[smalls21]

Week 1 Session 1
Workout A
September 26, 2010

Squat
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 60
3x5 @ 75

Bench
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 55
3x5 @ 65

Deadlift
2x5 @ 50
1x3 @ 80
1x2 @ 110
1x5 @ 135

Dips
2x8

I may go down on the deadlifts just to get my form a little bit better. But otherwise, not too bad for day 1.

[vince]

Here is a girl that is a little bit bigger than you (I'd say around 135/140), she's at or very close to all of your goals so it's definitely "do-able":

http://www.youtube.com/user/Namarang#p/u

Try to keep adding 10lbs to each workout and see how long it takes you to get stuck.

I'm very new to the program and I'm coming from about 31% BF so I've just focused on improving the quality of my calories not necessarily increasing them. It's a different game for you... you'll definitely need to increase your calories coming from 116lbs. Pack the calories on and keep progressing with the weight, when you're ready to drop the weight you'll be able to very efficiently.

[Tad_T]

Try to keep adding 10lbs to each workout and see how long it takes you to get stuck.

The goal is to not get stuck.

Considering her size, gender, and lifts, 5 lbs is a much more realistic jump for everything but the deadlift and 10 lbs would probably be OK there since that her 1RM is 225. After a couple of weeks at 5lbs, she may have to go to 2.5 on bench, press, and cleans.

Smalls, I think your goals are very reachable and probably even low.

[smalls21]

Smalls, I think your goals are very reachable and probably even low.

That makes me happy to hear! Thanks Tad

[vince]

The goal is to not get stuck.

Rip does recommend the following increments for most women:
Squat: 5lb
BP: <5lbs
OHP: <5lbs
DL: <15lbs (this is implied, he says "more conservative than men at 15-20lbs".)
PC: <5lbs with an increase totaling 5lbs every other workout.

He also says slower sustainable progress is better for all type of lifters than getting stuck. If you do get stuck you can go back to your last successful workout and add a smaller increment. Continue with the small increments until you get stuck... then go smaller with the increments. Like it or not, you cannot avoid getting stuck at some point. Eventually you will run out of glue and have to replace the 4lbs of toothpicks glued to the bar with 2 2.5lb weights, that may be your sticking point! Don't be upset about it, crap happens. Pick up and move on!

[smalls21]

Week 1 Session 2
Workout B
September 28, 2010

Squat
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 60
3x5 @ 80

Press
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 35
1x2 @ 45
3x5 @ 55

Power Cleans
2x5 @ 45
1x5 @ 35
1x3 @ 45
1x2 @ 50
3x5 @ 60

Max Effort Strict Pullups
1x11
1x9
1x9

To anyone who is following/reading my log, can you post some of your typical meals, or what you normally eat in a day. I see that some people are just eating any and everything that comes across their path, whereas other people are being more strict about the timing of their meals and the quality of food (i.e. eating P/F or P/C, and at certain times). Any advice on this?

[misspelledgeoff]

Hey Smalls, glad you joined the club!

Regarding your goals--absolutely doable. And then some.

Regarding your diet questions--you are a rather lean woman at nearly 5'7" and only 116. I'd be concerned more with getting enough calories to recover from your workouts than any carb curfews or meal compositions. Paleo + liberal use of whole milk might be a good start.

PS. Did I just read you did sets of strict pullups for 11, 9 and 9? Sweet baby jeebus on a big wheel!

[hbriem]

Nice numbers, Smalls and I agree, those small improvements should be doable, especially if you're willing to add 10 lbs of bodyweight.

Smaller weight increments are very useful for people your size. If not, adding reps and doing 3x6, 3x7, 3x8 etc before adding weight can be very useful. I had my 44 year old sister doing SS last year and that proved to be the only way up when 2.5kg increments were too much.

Great pullups, BTW!

[Rodolfo Bryant]

To anyone who is following/reading my log, can you post some of your typical meals, or what you normally eat in a day. I see that some people are just eating any and everything that comes across their path, whereas other people are being more strict about the timing of their meals and the quality of food (i.e. eating P/F or P/C, and at certain times). Any advice on this?

I have had great body-weight gains on this program. GOMAD worked wonders for the first 3 months or so, you could give that a try but it's not for everyone. I've gained substantial weight with minimal bodyfat eating how my father did. He ate mounds of food, a literal mound of food on his plate, of home cooked meals everyday and grew big and strong. For example a standard breakfast for me is 1.5-2 cups of oatmeal followed by 9-12 eggs and a handful of bacon or 1/2 pound of ground beef. Lunch and dinner I always eat meat and I shoot for over a pound every time. Gravy makes everything good, I like beef patties with rice topped with egg all covered in gravy. Anything potatoes is great, fried potatoes, mashed potatoes with sausage in it, baked potato covered in bacon (and butter!), potatoes in a stew or slow-cooker..all with a slab of meat of course. The bigger the neck on the animal, the better.

Pounds of spaghetti with baseball-sized meatballs.

I love food...


ps. I'm not necessarily saying eat those portions as I'm roughly two of you but I've had good experience eating this stuff