Recovering from 6 years behind a desk...

[NKT]

Background:

I did a lot of bodybuilding-style lifting between the ages of 15 and around 22. Bodyweight went from 130lb to 210lb. Built up a huge work capacity but relatively low 1rm strength. Then had to put the lifting on hold to focus on school. Took up mountain and road bike racing in school and conditioned myself down to a bodyweight of 175lb. Then graduated, got a job, and led a mostly sedentary life working behind a desk as an engineer for the next six years. Finally got disgusted with being weak and out of shape, and decided to do something about it (still have the job, just ditching the sedentary lifestyle). I might have some residual fitness from my high-school lifting days and cycling, but I'm basically starting from scratch.

Now:

32 years old
6'5” tall
212.2 lb bodyweight at the start of training
Getting around 6000kCal per day from 4 solid meals and GOMAD.
Three weeks into Starting Strength and loving every minute.
I'm really glad this forum is here; it has been a huge help so far.


SS Workouts to date:

3/7/10
bw - 212.2lb, 6'5” tall - 15.5% bodyfat per skinfold caliper measurement
squat - 135x5,5,5
bench - 165x5,5,3
deadlift - 210x5

3/9/10 - Legs so sore I can hardly walk.
bw - 214.2lb
squat - 145x5,5,5 (ouch!)
press - 100x5,5,4
powerclean - 135x3,3,3

3/11/10 - How can my legs be this sore?
bw - 216.6
squat - 155x5,5,5
bench - 170x5,5,5
deadlift - 275x5

3/14/10 - Legs starting to feel better.
bw - 222.2lb
squat - 165x5,5,5
press - 105x5,5,5
powerclean - 155x3,3,3,3,3

3/16/10
bw - 222.0
squat - 175x5,5,5
press - 110x5,5,5*
deadlift - 280x5
*I had some shoulder pain during the second bench press workout, and extreme soreness in my right shoulder joint when I started warming up today; couldn't even bench press the bar comfortably. I'm going to omit the bench press for a while and substitute more overhead pressing. No pain from the overhead presses.

3/18/10
bw - 224.4lb
squat - 185x5,5,5
press - 115x5,5,4
powerclean - 165x3,3,3,3,3

3/21/10
bw - 227.2lb - 16.5% bodyfat per skinfold caliper measurement
squat - 195x5,5,5
press - 115x5,5,6
deadlift - 290x5

3/23/10
bw - 226.4lb
squat - 205x5,5,5
press - 120x5,5,5
powerclean - 175x3,3,3,3,3

3/25/10
bw - 228.6
squat - 215x5,5,5
press - 125x5,5,5
deadlift - 300x5

3/28/10
bw - 231.0lb
squat - 225x5,5,5
press - 130x5,5,4,1
powerclean - 185x3,3,3,3,3

[NKT]

Form checks from today's workout:

squat 225x5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR_ScGuz1U8
press 130x5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhliZn1y7FM
powerclean 185x3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNjbeAKRSwc

[Dragar]

Most definitely an engineer, that has to be the most precise, concise and effective log opening I've read

Sadly can't look at the vids at work, I'm expecting to see continuously chaning knee and hip angles superimposed over your squats, along with max bending moments and deflections

[TGM]

Good on you for starting to be active again, seems like you're making good progress.

I won't comment on the vids because I've got no right critiquing form after only four months of training.

[NKT]

3/30/10
bw - 230.6lb
squat 235x5,5,5 (wooohoooo! finally more than 1x bodyweight)
press 135x5,5,4,3 (tried one more set after a good rest, still no good...)
deadlift 300x5 (no increase today because that's all of the plates I have, time to buy some more)
press 135x4 (couldn't resist one more try at a complete set)

Linear progression is a really odd experience. I don't feel like I should be able to lift the weight, but somehow I am able to try just a little harder than last time.

Squat form check video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pb6GFuh7eU
Deadlift form check video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUQu_aiLiGA
Comments are welcome; I'll post these in the technique forum too.

[NKT]

4/1/10
bw - 231lb
squat 245x5,5,5
press 135x4,5,4
powerclean 195x3,3,3,3,2

I think two days of rest and good eating will allow me to hit the press reps at 135lb on Sunday. Looks like I've reached the end of the 10lb jumps for the powerclean... it was fun while it lasted. 200lb next time.

[NKT]

4/4/10
bw - 233.4lb
squat - 255x5,5,5
press - 135x5,5,5
powerclean - 200x3,2,3,2,3,3,2

First time using a belt today. Squats felt GREAT.

I did powerclean instead of deadlifts today; deadlifts will have to wait until thursday (payday) when more weight will be available. I was thinking about the powerclean too much, trying to clean up the jump-and-shrug portion, and ended up unlocking my elbows too late on a lot of the reps. I'll need a repeat at 200lb.

[NKT]

4/6/10
bw - 235.4
squat - 265 x 5,5,5
press - 140 x 5,4,4
powerclean - 200 x 3,2,0

Powercleans were a disaster today. I messed up my pull in the last workout by trying to isolate and work on it, and in the process acquired some nice bruises on my sternum by not getting my elbows foreword soon enough. The bar landed hard on those bruises during today's second set, and after that I just couldn't commit to getting under the bar. Time for a big reset.

[NKT]

4/8/10
bw - 234.0
squat - 275 x 5,5,5
press - 140 x 5,5,4...1 (rested about 15 seconds and then got one more rep)
deadlift - 315 x 5

I think I have the squats pretty much cleaned up; got rid of the foreword knee movement at the bottom and the horrible hip pain is suddenly gone. That makes me happy - squats were making me feel like a 70-year-old after a really hard life. Just a little tendency toward good-mornings now, but I don't think it's enough to justify a reset. I think the press is ready to move up after two days of big eating and good sleep.

[NKT]

4/11/10
squat - 285 x 5,5,3
press - 145 x 3, 135 x 5,5
high pulls - 135 x 10,10,10,10,10

Not feeling all that great today. Can't tell if it's time for a reset or just a bad day; I'll probably try the same weights for the squat and press on Tuesday.

The rack position still feels messed up on the cleans - sort of an indistinct pain in the outer left collarbone, so I worked on getting the second pull nailed down at low weight. I started these from the hang, just below the knee, progressing gradually to pulls from the floor while keeping the second pull distinct and snappy.