RStanley's Training Log

[rstanley]

Greetings All!
Awesome to find such a great community surrounding the text! BBT was a gamechanger for me in terms of learning all the lifts as techniques instead of just going through the motions. What an incredible book!

I have spent many years in and out of gyms and this term around on SS is easily the best progess I have made.

Age 32 Starting weight 180 approx

Started Nov 16, 2010

I started everything real low and maybe have been too cautious in my weight increases:

Squat: 85
Bench :85
DL:85
Press:65
Cleans:65

As of yesterday Jan 18:

Squat: 180
Bench :165
DL:225
Press:100
Cleans:140


I know this is not fast as some others , but I am trying to be conservative in order to avoid injury. I have shoulder issues and I would rather not derail my progress with an injury.

Speaking of which During squats 2 weeks ago I hurt something in my left shoulder. It's strange becuse it was during the warmup with just the bar. Hurts to jump and land like something is loose inside. Like I said there is a history there so I am not overly concerned. For 2 workouts I switched to front squats which felt good. Pain seems to be dissipating so hopefully just a bump on the road. To be safe I will press instead of bench for the next week. My goals for March 15th ( or therabouts) :
Squat:275
Bench;225
DL: 315
Press:135
cleans :185

Does this sound realistic? Any insights and/or encouragement would be appreciated!

[rstanley]

Forgot to add: body weight is up to 198.

[rstanley]

Great day today! Felt really strong out of the gate. This is spite of forgetting my ipod which would normally be a fucking catastrophe but was actually a nice change of pace. May try training without headphones in the future to mix things up.
Squat=185 lbs
press=105
deadlift=235

First time trying the hook grip with a heavy(for me) deadlift. Was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked! Grip has always been an issue for me in the past so I am determined to not use the mixed grip until absolutely neccessary. I also corrected some form issues with the DL: the bar was over the middle of my instep not the middle of my foot. Moved closer to the bar and the weight felt much lighter. Also I now understand what Rip means in the book when he says that a properly set-up DL will feel shorter.
In other notes, after my presses a gym regular( decent upper body, nothing downstairs, typical Men's Health type, but nice guy) sticks the pins at mid thigh and loads up the bar with 275. I can't help but watch in the mirrors because this an geratric gym and nobody moves big weight. He then proceeds to do rapid fire one inch ROM shrugs. Does one set of 10 then unloads the bar. I am sure it worked his "shouldas" out thoroughly.

[rstanley]

Great day today considering I felt sore and apprehensive when I woke up at 5:20 AM. I am a stay at home dad this year while my wife does her master's so the only time I can work out is the wee hours. I actually prefer it because the gym is less crowded and it sets a great tone for the day.
Squat=190
press=105 these felt rough, the jump from 100 to 105 is too much I think
cleans=145

Today I helped a guy at the gym with his deadlifts(or more accurately, wheatever the fuck kind of lift he was doing) I am not normally "Mr. Helpful" because unsolicited advice is the surest way to piss people off but this was the second time I watched him lift 135 with full spinal flexion and then not go all the way back to the floor! Like he was lowering it to his knees with a curved back and then pulling it back up. Gave me the willies to watch! I just asked him if he would like a little help with the lift and he was really grateful. Need I say that gym employees were walking right by this guy without a second glance. He wasn't a client so his health isn't important. Not that they know how to deadlift either but still, c'mon!
I don't think of myself as an "expert" by any means and I just try to ignore the crazy shit I see at the gym, but this poor guy really needed a hand! I think I would be criminally negligent to continue to ignore him because sooner or later his spine would have exploded out of his back one morning and really disrupted my training!

PS Anyone else running out of pants that fit? I really didn't anticipate the size difference in my legs would happen so rapidly! I fell like I have a little extra fat, bit the tight pants is more my abs getting bigger and stronger,ergo a thinker waist.

Anyone else experiencing this?

[rstanley]

Felt like shit today. Shoulder is still bothering me. Deadlifts sucked. Morale is low.

Squat=195
press=100
deadlift=245x3, 225x2

[rstanley]

much better day today!
squat=200 whoo hoo!
press=105 still feels shakey but better
clean =150
chins 10

linear progess is awesome !

[unsorted]

Congrats on your linear progress man. I had the same experience re: pants... my jeans got a lot tighter over the past month (I feel like i'm wearing girl jeans) due to leg/ass muscle gains. Need to get more pants, but in the meantime, it's kind of an awesome feeling (if a little bit girly).

[rstanley]

Thanks unsorted!
Jan 31
Squat 205 almost dumped the bar the last rep of the last set...felt heavy!
bench 155 first time benching in a while b/c of shoulder..felt weak
dead 135 worked on form because knees are retarded

many noob geezers in gym this morning...I also have a kung fu master who is an endless source of amusement!

[rstanley]

Feb 2nd

squat=210
press=110
clean=155
chins 10
farmers walk with 60 lb dumbells

[rstanley]

Feb 5
squat 215
bench 160
deadlift 225

farmers walk 70 lb dumbells 3 laps