My second attempt at linear progress

[elderly mayan]

Hello everybody!

This is hopefully my workout log for a long time to come, but I'd like to leave a little background info of who I am and why am I even here.

Age: 22, Height: 5'9" (177cm), Weight: 163lbs (74kg), BF%: ~16%

All my life I was super sedentary anti sports activities type of kid and last year at this time I was around 25-28% BF and couldn't do 3 bodyweight squats or 1 push up. I started with calisthenics workouts at home and at May 2011 I was somewhat skinnyfat 13-14% BF do you even lift mode, but able to pull up for 10 reps etc.

Then one good friend lend me SS book and suggested that I give it a shot, I read it (2nd ed), joined multiple forums, started lifting in gym and did eat at surplus, but not gomad. I have never missed a workout, I don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and I even have measured my testosterone levels, which are average (5ng/dl) This is what happened to me after my first SS try:

May->Sept 2011
Bodyweight: 155->170 lbs
Squat: 75lbs -> 165lbs (3x5)
DL: 120lbs -> 255lbs (1x5)
Bench: 110lbs -> 170lbs (3x5)
OHP: 60lbs -> 120lbs (3x5)
BB Rows: 90lbs -> 160lbs (3x5)
You tell me if this is acceptable.

I stalled multiple times, did 3 deloads in a row and then moved on to Madcow's 5x5, which let me progress little further (high bar squat 1x5 185lbs, DL 295 1x5, Bench 185lbs 1x5, OHP 125 1x5 and rows degressed because of technique changes) My bodyweight got up to 180lbs. This was Sept->Nov 2011

Then I had surgery after which I had to skip gym for 2 weeks, so I went into cut and my plan was to cut down to visible abs for the first time in my life. After I started to go back to gym I did 5/3/1 and managed to finish 3 weeks of my first cycle before today. All my lifts regressed 3-4 months back, my body started to look the SAME as before I started to go to gym (exactly the same) so I figure I haven't gained any muscle mass at all in my "bulk"

What got me thinking was my shitty squat and everything else, so I restarted to read SS book from the start and also this website for videos and pdf's. Yesterday I stumbled on clarification.pdf about not doing the program.
Today I am starting all over again. This time with gomad and everything as described. No accessory lifts etc.

First session (19.12.2011) - went well, this is my starting point for SS+Gomad run:
BW: 74kg (163lbs), 16% BF
Squat: 3x5 70kg (155) low bar
OHP: 3x5 45kg (100) (huge deload to work on form and progress for longer time)
DL: 1x5 110kg (240) (technique tweaks on setup - now bar does not travel forward and I can feel my legs shaking etc.)

I hope this doesn't turn to be 2 week thread and I really hope I am fool of thinking that I just can't squat 225 before age 40. Stay tuned!

[SubZero]

Hello everybody!

This is hopefully my workout log for a long time to come, but I'd like to leave a little background info of who I am and why am I even here.

Age: 22, Height: 5'9" (177cm), Weight: 163lbs (74kg), BF%: ~16%

All my life I was super sedentary anti sports activities type of kid and last year at this time I was around 25-28% BF and couldn't do 3 bodyweight squats or 1 push up. I started with calisthenics workouts at home and at May 2011 I was somewhat skinnyfat 13-14% BF do you even lift mode, but able to pull up for 10 reps etc.

Then one good friend lend me SS book and suggested that I give it a shot, I read it (2nd ed), joined multiple forums, started lifting in gym and did eat at surplus, but not gomad. I have never missed a workout, I don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and I even have measured my testosterone levels, which are average (5ng/dl) This is what happened to me after my first SS try:

May->Sept 2011
Bodyweight: 155->170 lbs
Squat: 75lbs -> 165lbs (3x5)
DL: 120lbs -> 255lbs (1x5)
Bench: 110lbs -> 170lbs (3x5)
OHP: 60lbs -> 120lbs (3x5)
BB Rows: 90lbs -> 160lbs (3x5)
You tell me if this is acceptable.

I stalled multiple times, did 3 deloads in a row and then moved on to Madcow's 5x5, which let me progress little further (high bar squat 1x5 185lbs, DL 295 1x5, Bench 185lbs 1x5, OHP 125 1x5 and rows degressed because of technique changes) My bodyweight got up to 180lbs. This was Sept->Nov 2011

Then I had surgery after which I had to skip gym for 2 weeks, so I went into cut and my plan was to cut down to visible abs for the first time in my life. After I started to go back to gym I did 5/3/1 and managed to finish 3 weeks of my first cycle before today. All my lifts regressed 3-4 months back, my body started to look the SAME as before I started to go to gym (exactly the same) so I figure I haven't gained any muscle mass at all in my "bulk"

What got me thinking was my shitty squat and everything else, so I restarted to read SS book from the start and also this website for videos and pdf's. Yesterday I stumbled on clarification.pdf about not doing the program.
Today I am starting all over again. This time with gomad and everything as described. No accessory lifts etc.

First session (19.12.2011) - went well, this is my starting point for SS+Gomad run:
BW: 74kg (163lbs), 16% BF
Squat: 3x5 70kg (155) low bar
OHP: 3x5 45kg (100) (huge deload to work on form and progress for longer time)
DL: 1x5 110kg (240) (technique tweaks on setup - now bar does not travel forward and I can feel my legs shaking etc.)

I hope this doesn't turn to be 2 week thread and I really hope I am fool of thinking that I just can't squat 225 before age 40. Stay tuned!

On behalf of all the members here on SS forum, I wish you the best.

[elderly mayan]

Last month's posts are gone due to server problems, deal with it.

25.01.2012.

Squat: 105kg 5x3 - http://vimeo.com/35640692
Note: Right knee (closer to camera in video) is clearly damaged and gives me all kinds of signs to stop squatting. It doesn't hurt within set, but when I rest. Pulsating pain, quite hard. I need to walk like cripple and step easy on right leg.
I have an appointment to doctor, but I have to wait until next Friday + it will result in another appointment (hopefully to MRI), so yeah... dunno what's gonna happen with squats. Please tell me if you see anything that could lead to injury in my technique.

OHP: 60kg 5,5,3 - 3rd workout with this weight. Deloading. Last set maybe would be 4 reps, but bar path went out of hand on 4th and it failed.

Deadlift: 135kg 1x double + 2x singles. Something is wrong with technique. Guys in another forum said I need to set my ass lower, because now I am working too much with erectors and too little with quads. Please comment if you have something to say: http://vimeo.com/35640925

Assistance: 5x1 unweighted and 5x3 +15kg weighted dips.

Sleep: 5+3h, 10h
Bodyweight: 81.4kg

[elderly mayan]

27.01.2012.

Squat: failed. I couldn't find bar position and fucked up wrists, forehands and elbows doing warm-ups. When I got to work weight - it was hurting too much, even with correct position. Decided to skip them today and did widowmaker.
warm-ups (last 102.5kg x1) + 107.5kg x2 + 60kg x 20
At this point I have damaged right knee, right shoulder and both forehands/elbows are feeling much like tendonitis. I feel sick, tired, burned out and unmotivated as fuck. I really hope all this shit steps back a little and let me keep progressing next week. Knee is sort of a big problem now, tho.

Bench: failed. On Monday I benched 85kg 5,5,3 and today was 3rd attempt at this weight. Got 2 reps and it pinned me down. Then rested and tried again. 1 rep. Worked with 60kg for 2 sets of 5, found sweet spot and tried again. Did 80kg x5 and then 85kg x4. Not sure what is happening to my body it was not very friendly today.

Pendlay row:
So I was doing Yates rows all month and got up to 85kg 5x3, but form was sloppy, so today I switched to Pendlay, becuse it's strict.
Started with 60kg 5x3 and got all reps.

Assistance: chin-ups. 5x, 3x unweighted and 5x +10kg.

Sleep: 9h, 9h

[elderly mayan]

30.01.2012.

Squat: 107.5kg 2x1, 5x2
Couldn't get my shit together. Failed first attempt on 1st rep, then after brief rest gave up after 2nd rep and got real angry, concentrated and it went smooth. I would've run out of time for DL, if I'd rest for another set, so I decided to skip it. I won't do same weight next time, but try 110kg instead. My right knee is fucked and is getting only worse. While I squat, it's fine, but immediately after racking I limp like cripple. 4 days until doctor visit

OHP: 55kg 5x3
Deload. I had to do 54kg, but I did this instead in hopes that I can do +2.5 next time, then another +2.5 and nail 1 plate for all reps. From there it will have to be smallest increments.

DL: 135kg 3x1, 2x1, 1x1
Pause after 3 rep set was about 1min, so I did one punishment single after finishing prescribed reps, in hopes to disrupt homeostasis sufficiently. I don't want to deload. It would have to be back to 120kg and I am so close to 3plate.

Assistance: None. I ran out of time. Signed off gym in last minute. No curls for da gurls.

Sleep: 8h, 9h, 8h
Bodyweight: 81.7kg (+0.5kg since last Monday)

[elderly mayan]

01.02.2012.

Squat: 110kg x1
Knee is in non tolerable pain at this point. I am sorry to my linear gain potential, but I guess that's that. I have to stop squatting and let it heal.

Front squat: lots of warm-up weight and then singles up to 80kg 2x1 for pain tolerance and strength evaluation. Pain was more tolerable, but that's because of less weight. It was still there.

Bench: 77.5kg 5x3. Deload.

Pendlay row: 65kg 5x3

Assistance: dips 5x2 and then weighted sets of 5 reps: +10kg,+15kg,+17.5kg,+20kg.

Sleep: 4+4h, 9h

So I don' t know guys... I am in dead end. My doctor' s appointment is this Friday morning, before gym, but it's not a knee specialist. She will probably write appointment for knee specialist and MRI, but you know... that will take another week. And it will probably result in "no squats for you mister, let it heal" or even worse.

What is the best I can do meanwhile? Maybe go through cycle of Smolov Jr. deadlift+bench-press?