Magnetotail's training log

[Magnetotail]

Thought it might be helpful to keep a log here, making it easier to get feedback when things start stalling again. Plus, it's a good reference for me to look back at.

I started training about 2 years ago, doing typical bodypart split things, stuff that was giving me some progress, but nowhere near the progress I could have been making. Did one of Joe DeFranco's Westside programs for a while, made some decent gains on that. Then finally got round to properly doing Starting Strength around November 2009. I've come a long way since I started, I was initially around 66kg at 6 feet tall, very very skinny. Numbers from my last two workouts are as follows:

Age: 20
Height: 183cm
Current BW: 88.4kg

3x5 Squat: 155kg
3x5 Bench Press: 97.5kg
3x5 Press: 57.5kg
1x5 Deadlift: 180kg
3x5 Chin Ups: BW + 16kg


I did cleans for a while, reaching 3 reps at 90kg, but never felt confident in my form. I was wasting more time nailing down form on an exercise I didn't enjoy than I felt was worth it, so I just dropped them. Maybe one day I'll come back to them.

Eating is my downfall, in that I'm the fussiest eater I know - I just don't really like food. Not very helpful in trying to lift heavier and heavier weights, but I've managed to gain over 20kg since I started so it's not all bad. I manage about 4500-5000 calories on a very good day, nearer to 3500 on an average day. This is the reason my body weight has started to stall, though my progress in the gym hasn't (yet). I'd be nowhere without GOMAD.

Next session is tomorrow.

[Magnetotail]

Overhead Press:
3x5 - 58.75kg

Chin Ups:
3x5 - BW +16kg

Weighted Sit Ups:
3x6 - 24kg


Started squats, was just going to be a medium/light day at 120kg for maybe 2 sets of 5. Felt a pain in the right side of my groin through all my warm up sets so decided to skip it all together, to save making the pain any worse when I come to squatting heavy on Friday.

Press wasn't easy, but it didn't look like failing, will be nice to finally be doing 60kg next time. Tried wearing my belt for the first set, didn't really feel a huge difference so left it off for the next two.

Chins were fine, last rep of the last set was a bit of a slow one, but should be good to keep moving up on this until at least past 20kg, fingers crossed.

Not stalling today was nice, and a bit of a surprise given I'd been pretty ill over the weekend and had barely eaten anything on Saturday. I think milk kept me going, though I had lost a little bit of weight.

Overall I felt fine, but I think I should have reduced the frequency of my deadlift earlier given it kind of wore me out last week doing it monday and friday. Will give it a rest this week and come back to it next week, hopefully Friday's squat will be unaffected.

[Magnetotail]

Bodyweight: 87.4kg

Bench Press
5,3,3 - 98.75kg

Deadlift
1 x 200kg
1 x 210kg


Skipped squatting again for a similar reason to last session, should be back to normal next week.

Bench press I didn't even expect to make the first set, so to at least get 5 reps out once I was happy enough with. Illness over the weekend is finally showing through with a kilo loss in weight and the lack of progression on the bench.

Wasn't planning on doing deadlift until next week initially, but wanted to show myself I was making some good progress overall so decided to try 200 for the first time just for one rep. Knew I wouldn't have the energy to move my planned weight (185) 5 times, but thought I could manage 1 rep at a heavier weight. 200 went up fairly well, well enough for me think I was able to put on another 10kg. 210 was tough, but I reckon there is still more in me, perhaps towards 220kg and upwards for 1 rep. Was good to know I can lift over 200kg, since I'd never tried it before.

[Magnetotail]

Squat
5,2 - 160kg

Overhead Press
3x5 - 60kg

Chin Ups
3x5 - BW +18kg


Squats felt really, really heavy. The pain in the right side of my groin was there on the last warm up set and then hurt a lot after my first working set. The set was pretty solid, but I didn't want to make the problem any worse. Did 2 reps on the second set, felt very heavy but not unbeatable, could probably have finished the set but decided to stop because of the groin problem. Not sure where to go from here with squats, might just try this again next week and see if the pain has gone by then.

I was really happy to finally hit 60 for my working sets on the press. It's not super heavy for most, but it's taken me a while to get here as my pressing isn't particularly strong. Felt tough, but I think there's a good way to go on this with the help of microloading.

Chins were hard work, last rep of the third set took about 7 seconds to push through. Not sure how much heavier this was than monday's sets because I reckon I'm a bit lighter than then again.

Recovery this week has been a nightmare, I've not been eating anywhere near enough. Had to travel between houses from one side of london to the other, really not ideal, but I'm back in my own house for good now. Need to really try and catch up over the weekend.

[Magnetotail]

Bodyweight: 86.9kg

Bench Press:
5,4 - 100kg

Chin Ups:
5,5,4 - BW +20kg

Absolutely battered from football yesterday and staying up for the Superbowl (I'm in the UK). So overall just unsuccessful today. Will start eating seriously again and pick it up on Wednesday.

[Magnetotail]

Bodyweight: 86.7kg

Overhead Press:
3x5 - 61.25kg

Deadlift
1x4 - 190kg

Overhead press was tough, as usual, but it moved well enough. It's so much more fun than the bench press, and I think progressing in this is really helping me on the bench.

Deadlift felt really fucking heavy, and I apparently looked like I was about to burst. I was halfway up on the 5th rep, but just couldn't lock it out. Felt good to do reps at this weight though. I'll give this another go next week and hopefully should see out 5 reps.

Overall felt good today, managed to get rid of a cold yesterday within about 24 hours thanks to vitamin c, eccinacea and Vicks First Defence - not sure which worked but something did, even if just as a placebo. Weight still dropping due to familiar problems with eating, but I feel my strength is still progressing, need to get back on track though!

[DustyMillar]

Hi Mingenotail, got to tell you unless you have a great desire to be heavy I'd be happy, you're shifting good numbers for a guy @ 86.7kg what's your fat% ?

[Magnetotail]

Hi Mingenotail, got to tell you unless you have a great desire to be heavy I'd be happy, you're shifting good numbers for a guy @ 86.7kg what's your fat% ?

Thanks, I'm not really sure what body fat percentage I am. I don't have callipers or anything, and I would never trust scales to tell me as they appear very inaccurate. If I were to guess, I would say around 12%, though I'm really not sure.

I'd like to get closer to 100kg and start shifting some really heavy weights, I just hate food so it's kind of difficult!

[Magnetotail]

Bench Press:
1x4 - 100kg
6,7 - 90kg

Chin Ups:
1x5 - BW +20kg
10,5 - BW


Just a poor day all round. Cold kicking in, felt bad with a sore throat. Not eaten anywhere near enough. Will take a step back and have a serious look at my diet and how to improve my appetite. Groin still sore for squatting so putting off bringing that back into the picture.

[Magnetotail]

Bodyweight: 87.5kg

Squat:
1x5 - 120kg

Press:
5,5,4 - 62.5kg

Deadlift:
1x3 - 190kg

Did the first set of lights squats and felt the same pain I've been having. Not really sure what to do about this.

Press should have been completed, but I put 20kg plates on and I hit the ceiling ruining my final set. So I'll move up next time and make sure I use the smaller plates.

I wasn't planning on deadlifting, but for some reason when I get in the gym I feel like I can completely ignore the entirely rational decision I'd already made. I will not be deadlifting until a week wednesday, regardless of any urges I get.

Overall, I felt better today. Got back a kilo in bodyweight after eating pretty solidly over the weekend. Still battling off this niggling cold, but I'll keep eating and give 100kg another go on the bench on wednesday and hope to get back to well over 88kg bodyweight by next week.