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Thread: mek42's log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    17

    Default mek42's log

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    I'm going to use SS as the basis of my training, subject to certain logistical constraints and supplemented by "sport" specific training as I go from lazy lardass to a "go" on DoD fat composition and APFT.

    The logistical issue is that I only have regular access to an acceptable barbell facility on Tuesday and Thursday nights. So my plan is to open each Tuesday and Thursday night with bench press and squat, do deadlift Thursday and then afterward do things like leg raises / sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, standing press or even low weight, high rep bench pressing / push-ups as my energy level permits.

    I have (incorrectly) bench pressed for many years, but am fairly new to the squat and deadlift. I'm currently in the middle of the deadlift chapter of the book during my first read, so I haven't arrived at the programming section yet. I'll get there eventually though. Fat loss is my priority dietwise, so I'm going to be eating at a slight caloric deficit. In early September I was 36% bodyfat from the DoD tape test; in early October I scored a 33%. I wonder how much of this is due to bench press induced muscle gain. I don't particularly care how much of that 3% loss is due to bench pressing, just am a bit curious. I'm currently 6'0" tall, about 290# and 36 years.

    All weights in this log will be lbs unless specified otherwise.

    05 October
    was my first attempt to lift with SS form.

    bench:
    45: 8; 95: 7 (I'm used to going to 1 or 2 reps prior to failure with each weight and then adding some - I forgot I was supposed to stop at 5 reps); 135: 5, 5, 5

    This is much lighter than I had been bench pressing. Moving the bar all the way to your chest and then pressing from a dead stop is also a bit different than pressing from about 90 degree elbow angle.

    squat:
    (this is my first time squatting - form is the most important consideration - weight can and will come later) 45: 5; 95: 5, 5, 5

    I'm putting the web of my thumb on the beginning of the knurling just inside of the scoring line. I'm paranoid about catching my fingers / hands between the bar and the stops when I put the bar down and still the worst parts about squatting so far is my tight, inflexible shoulders. I can really feel that trap shelf to put the bar on when you pull your elbows back. Once I get into squat position my shoulders are ok, but entering and especially exiting the bar is rather less than pleasant on them.

    Wanted to make sure the bar was staying vertical, so I asked around for someone to watch me from the side to make sure the bar stayed in-line with the middle of my foot and not moving back and forth. First guy I asked was some 20 something and I confess that all I heard was, "I suggest you use the Smith machine, blah, blah, blah" just like Charlie Brown's teacher. So I found another old fart (looked to be a mid-40s guy) who was happy to just watch and report. He says the bar is staying straight up and down.

    I'm going deep and noticing that going deep is facilitated by opening the knees as described in the book. I'm sure Mr. Rippetoe would laugh his ass off watching me, trying to figure out whether I'm squatting or doing the Polish chicken dance with a bar on my back as my knee opening is rather less than smooth and sometimes an afterthought, but I will learn.

    After properly bench pressing and squatting I was pretty much tuckered out so I went home without doing anything else. Is this normal after bench pressing or squatting, because I'm a beginner (this was the first time I squatted) or am I just a wimp?

    07 October:
    Felt like crap due to some upper respiratory thing, didn't go to gym.

    10 October: Went to doctor, was prescribed antibiotics for a sinus infection.

    11 October (a Monday, not a gym day anyway): Left thoracic area of back, about 2" below bottom of sternum erupted in huge spasm while putting on my drawers in the morning. Maybe I should have just stayed naked and let the neighbors go blind as I took the dogs out throughout the day.

    12 October:
    Back feeling moderately better, but did not go to gym.

    14 October: Back almost fully recovered. Went to gym. Will know tomorrow if this was a tactical error.

    bench press: 135:6; 155: 5, 5, 5

    squat: 135: 5; 155: 5, 185: 5, 5, 4

    My last rep had absolutely hideous form, even for my beginner status, so I stopped. I also am apparently unable to count to 3, as I put all the plates away after my second set and then realized I had one more set to do. Rubbing salt into my shoulder inflexibility discomfort, there was this girl doing some sort of squat-type thing on the Smith in front of me. Her hands were so close on the grip that her forearms were perpendicular to the bar. Shoulders will eventually get flexible with repeated squatting, right? Mr. Rippetoe isn't lying about this in the book to sucker us into squatting, is he? (This last is intended a joke, not an impugning of Mr. Rippetoe's character.)

    Deadlift:
    135: 3

    My form started deteriorating at rep 3 so I put the bar down. I was thinking about doing a second set of 3 but then the right side of my back started feeling odd at the same elevation as my spasm Monday so I stopped.

    Other stuff:

    Leg raises:
    20, 15, 10

    It didn't feel like I had really worked hard while squatting. Then when I arrived home my right quad was less than enthused about supporting my weight and the big bag of books as I exited my car. Then I had a spot of actual difficulty navigating the three stairs from the garage to the house. Maybe there's something to squatting after all. (Another attempt at humor.)
    Last edited by mek42; 10-15-2010 at 12:06 AM. Reason: formatting

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    17

    Default

    Yep, deadlifting yesterday appears to have been a tactical error as my back spasm has returned.

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