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Thread: SS log - Bring It On Gravity!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Default SS log - Bring It On Gravity!

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    Hey,

    I recently signed up for this site and figured I would post my SS log to keep me honest and to get advice/comments/criticism about my journey.

    I first heard about the program on r/fitness over at reddit and began researching it and, of course, that lead me to the SS book which I've read and re-read a couple times. What I really respect about the program is not only the way that Mark tells you exactly what to do but also WHY you need to do it. I also really like the no-bullshit, right to the point attitude on this forum. That being said lets get to the fun stuff:

    Fitness Background:
    -I rowed for three years in highschool('03 to '06)
    -Sporadically lifted weights in the gym since then(no program, never recorded my workouts, did whichever dumbells and machines struck my fancy that day. Shit diet.)
    - My main source of activity since rowing has been cycling. I commute to work and have done several trips(the largest and most recent being 2000km).

    Goals:
    -1.5xBW 3x5 squat
    -2xBW 3x5 deadlift
    -1xBW 3x5 bench
    -Fix any muscle imbalances from cycling
    -Beat my 2km erg time from highschool

    Stats:
    Start Date: July 20, 2011 (7 workouts in, as of this post)
    Age: 22
    Height: 5'10"
    Starting Weight: ~160

    Starting Lifts(5x3):
    Squat: 90lbs
    Dead: 90lbs
    Press: 70lbs (a bit too high)
    Bench:120(too high)
    Chins: 3 sets of 4 @BW

    Current Lifts
    Squat: 145lbs
    Dead: 155lbs
    Press: 90x4x1, 75x5x2 (no weights between 75 and 90)
    Bench:125
    Chins: 3 sets of 5 @BW
    And, my weight as of this morning is 169.

    Notes:
    -In hindsight I started bench and press too high because I was much more comfortable with my form on them. I foresee some early resets.
    -I really want to do cleans but my budget was spent building the rest of my home gym so I will be adding them in when I find bumpers and something to protect the floors.
    -Re: low bench progress. I just recently got a bench for my gym so I've only done two bench workouts so far.
    -Re: weird press numbers. I can make 75(40+2x10+2x5+2x2.5) and 90(40+2x25) but nothing in between...I need to find a store that sells plates.

    Diet
    I eat fairly clean and I am slowly ramping up to full GOMAD I'm currently drinking 2-3 litres of whole milk a day. I'm also starting to really ramp up how often and how much food I'm eating and I have been noticing the effects under the bar. I don't think its necessary to measure all my food and count calories and nutrients so that is about as detailed as I can explain my diet.

    That brings you all up to date on my progress and I will be posting all future workouts.

    Stay tuned.
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-07-2011 at 08:12 AM. Reason: Added another goal

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    Chris, there is a great video of Rip telling people that they don't have to drop the weights when doing power cleans. You just catch it back on your thighs and then lower the bar as you do when dead lifting. I wish he would have said that in the book as I too fretted about dropping the weights. Elsewhere on the forum there is a suggestion for cutting out a plywood spacer the size of the 45 pounders that you can put on the bar for warm ups and below 135 which works great for dead lifts as well as power cleans. I used a hole saw, jig saw and a piece of 1/2 inch plywood and made a pair in about a half hour. Today is only my 3rd SS work out but I am really glad I was able to do the Power Cleans. I am not doing much weight as I am a weakling but it is an awesome exercise. I too work out at home and hope to use video for checking form.

    Keep at it, I wish I would have been on SS when I was 22.

  3. #3
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    Aug 2011
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    Thanks for the advice DrDuktayp!

    Saturday August 6, 2011

    Squat: 155x5x3
    Press: 90x5/5/4
    Chins: BWx6/5/5

    Weight: 170 lbs

    Notes:
    -Workout felt really good today, I was a bit tired but that went away after my warmups.
    -Squats are starting to get heavy.
    -I really focused on keeping my chest up and full and squeezed the crap out of the bar on the press and it really helped.
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-07-2011 at 06:11 AM.

  4. #4
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    Tuesday August 9, 2011

    Squat: 165x5x3
    Press: 90x5x3
    Dead: 165x5x1

    Weight: 174.4 lbs

    Notes:
    -Squat felt really heavy
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-12-2011 at 05:40 AM. Reason: formatting

  5. #5
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    Thursday August 11, 2011

    Squat: 175x5x3
    Bench: 130x5x3
    Chins: BWx5/4/4

    Weight: 174.5 lbs(as of this morning)

    Notes:
    -WOOO! Body Weight squat!
    -Squats were really heavy. I think I slightly pulled/tore a muscle on the inside of my leg right above my knee. It wasn't really sore but after I started cooling down from my workout it started to tighten up. Never felt anything like this before so I'm going to watch it closely.
    -Need to re-read about bench press form and get chalk. My hands slid an inch or two out on the bar by the end of my last set.
    -Not to disappointed about getting less chins in...I was spent after the squat and bench, and I weighed about 178 before last nights workout.

  6. #6
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    Monday August 15, 2011

    Squat: 180x5x3
    Press: 95x5x3
    Dead: 180x5x3

    Weight: 175.0 lbs(as of this morning)

    Notes:
    -Body Weight deadlift! Not a big achievement but still nice to hit a milestone.
    -Press was extremely heavy and form went to crap the last few reps.
    -Workouts are getting longer as I need more rest between sets.
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-16-2011 at 06:46 AM.

  7. #7
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    Mar 2011
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    Nice progress m8, i'll be following along as a hobby. You might want to hold off on doing the full gallon of milk, 15lbs/month is already alot (and surprising without GOMAD). Do whatever you need to recover of course, but we have alot of fatties on here that put on weight way too fast and get stuck crying and trying to lose weight instead of finishing LP (me included). Congrats on BW DL, feels amazing once you reach it huh? Wait until the bench hits BW..

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsp View Post
    Nice progress m8, i'll be following along as a hobby. You might want to hold off on doing the full gallon of milk, 15lbs/month is already alot (and surprising without GOMAD). Do whatever you need to recover of course, but we have alot of fatties on here that put on weight way too fast and get stuck crying and trying to lose weight instead of finishing LP (me included). Congrats on BW DL, feels amazing once you reach it huh? Wait until the bench hits BW..
    Yeah, I don't think I'll do full GOMAD every single day my BF% is currently higher than it has ever been...although so are my lifts. It is a useful tool though and I usually do get pretty close to a gallon of milk on my lifting days to get in the extra protien, calories, etc.

    Thanks, BW bench is going to be a huge milestone for me, especially since I've gained quite a bit of weight already.
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-22-2011 at 06:37 AM. Reason: Weight not wait :S

  9. #9
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    Wednesday August 17, 2011

    Squat: 185x5x3
    Bench:
    Chins: 5/5/4
    Weight: 176.0 lbs

    Notes:
    -Video taped squats today and noticed I was losing tightness in my lower back in the last 2-3 inches at the bottom of the squat. Also noticed the last rep or two of my work sets my hips would come up faster than the bar(eg. like a good morning).
    -Had dinner plans so I didn't have time to do a proper bench warmup, so I had to skip it.
    -I was feeling pretty bummed out after todays workout all things considered.
    -I've been wearing shorts since I started the program and felt like wearing jeans to dinner tonight. I had a pretty good laugh when I tried them on ... they were extremely tight and there was no way I could wear them out in public.
    Last edited by chris_aug18; 08-22-2011 at 07:00 AM. Reason: Wrong squat weight

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Friday August 19, 2011

    Squat: 190x5x3
    Bench: 135x5x3
    Dead: 200x5x1

    Notes:
    -Instead of resetting squats to work on Wednesday's form issues I tripled the number of warmup sets I did and didn't increase the warmup weight until I was happy with my form. Seemed to help but I still am doing a bit of a good morning on the last reps of the last couple sets.
    -First workout with chalk! Used it on the bench press and it really helped alot.
    -No idea why I did a 20lb jump on the deadlift. I had 180lbs on for my final warmup and figured I'd throw a ten on each side for the work set. These really winded me and I had to stop to catch my breath for ~5 sec between reps.

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