Bradley's Training Log: A Journey From 120 lbs

[Bradley]

I'm not very athletic and I've always been tiny. My previous max weight before starting the program was 127 lbs and that was in high school. After that it was a sedentary downwards spiral during college. Over five years passed without me doing much physically besides having a job that required me to stand.

My overall goal is to be in a general fit state. I want to be stronger than the average male. I want to be able to sprint. I want the endurance to do marathons and ironman triathlons. I'd like to be able to defend myself must it be necessary to be involved in a physical altercation. I'd like to be big enough to discourage such physical altercation. I want to do a backflip. I want to be able to fireman-carry any reasonably sized human being farther than would ever be necessary in an emergency situation.

I'm doing the basic Starting Strength novice program for the most part. Instead of power cleaning 5x3 I am power cleaning to warm-up for heavy clean & jerks. After I am finished with my novice progression I will likely transition into an Olympic lifting training program.

The Start (2011-11-17):
Vitals: 120 lbs @ 5' 9"
Squat: 60 lbs
Bench: 50 lbs
Deadlift: 120 lbs
Press: 40 lbs
Clean: 45 lbs



The Progress (as of 2012-5-4):
Weight: 145 lbs
Squat: 273 lbs
Olympic Squat: 208 lbs
Bench: 137.5 lbs
Deadlift: 310 lbs
Press: 97.5 lbs
Clean and Jerk: 150 lbs

================================================== ==

May 2012 Goals (until 2012-6-1):
Weight: 150 lbs [+5 lbs]
Olympic Squat: 253 lbs [+50 lbs]
Bench: 150 lbs [+15 lbs] - BW
Press: None
Deadlift: Fix my back
Clean/Power Clean: TBD

================================================== ==

The Long Term Goals (by ???):
Weight: ???
Squat: 313 lbs
Bench: 225 lbs
Deadlift: 405 lbs
Press: 135 lbs
(Power?) Clean: 225 lbs

Other Goals:
Short Term:
* Snatch: 1x BW
* Clean and Jerk: 1.25x BW
Long Term:
* Weightlifting total: 200 kg
* Marathon: 3:05:00 Boston Qualifier (Not actively training)
* Ironman Triathlon: Kona Qualifier

Other Progress:
Snatch: 65 lbs
Clean and Jerk: 150 lbs
Clean: 170 lbs
Front Squat: 205 lbs
Front Squat: 185 lbs (3x5)
Olympic Squat: 208 lbs (3x5)
Low Bar Squat: 298 lbs
Low Bar Squat: 278 lbs (2x5)
Marathon: My last marathon a pregnant lady finished before I did. True story.
Chinups: 8 @ 145 lbs
Dips: 16-13-10 @ 145 lbs
Dips: 5-5-6 @ 145 lbs + 30 lbs

[Bradley]

2011:

11/17:	S: 60.0 	B: 50.0 	DL: 120.0
11/19:	S: 75.0 					P: ?		Pullups
11/21:	S: 80.0 	B: 55.0 	DL: 130.0
11/24:	S: 90.0 					P: 40.0 	Rows: 50.0
11/26:	S: 105.0	B: 65.0 	DL: 145.0
11/28:	S: 120.0					P: 50.0 	Rows: 60.0
11/30:	S: 130.0	B: 75.0 	DL: 160.0
12/2:	S: 140.0					P: 55.0 	Rows: 65.0
12/5:	S: 150.0	B: 80.0 	DL: 175.0
12/7:	S: 160.0*					P: 60.0 	Rows: 70.0	*-552 Right leg sciatic pain
12/10:	S: 165.0*	B: 85.0 	DL: 190.0					*-545 Right leg sciatic pain
12/12:	S: 165.0*					P: 65.0 	Rows: 75.0	*-550 Right leg sciatic pain
12/16:	S: *		B: 90.0 	DL: 200.0					*-Right leg sciatic pain
12/18:	S: 150.0			DL: 210.0^	P: 70.0*			*-444, ^-Shoulder hurting so DL'd
?:	S: 155.0	B: 95.0*	DL: 220.0					*- 554
?:	S: 160.0					P: 70.0 	C: *		*-Start learning clean technique
12/26:	S: *		B: 95.0^	DL: 230.0					*-Left leg sciatic pain, ^-554
12/28:	S: 165.0					P: 75.0*	C: 65.0 	*-333
12/30:	S: 170.0	B: 95.0 	DL: 240.0

2012:

?:	S: 175.0					P: 75.0*	C: ^		*-554, ^-Technique
1/5:	S: 180.0 	B: 95.0 	DL: 250.0
1/7:	S: 188.0					P: 75.0*	C: ^		*-554, ^-Technique
1/9:	S: 193.0	B: 97.5 	DL: 260.0
1/12:	S: 198.0					P: 70.0*	C: ^		*-Reset, switch to Olympic-style, ^-Technique
1/17:	S: 203.0	B: 100.0	DL: 270.0
1/19:	S: 208.0					P: 72.5 	C: *		*-Technique
1/21:	S: 213.0	B: 102.5	DL: 280.0
1/24:	S: 218.0					P: 75.0 	C: *		*-Technique
1/27:	S: 223.0F	B: 105.0	DL: 290.0
1/30:	S: 223.0					P: 77.5
2/1:	S: 228.0	B: 107.5	DL: 300.0F
2/3:	S: 233.0 					P: 80.0 	
2/5:	S: 238.0 	B: 110.0	DL: 300.0 
2/7:	S: 243.0					P: 82.5	
2/9:	S: 248.0	B: 112.5	DL: 310.0F  
2/12:	S: 253.0					P: 85.0				C&J: 140.0 
2/17:	S: 258.0F	B: 115.0F	DL: X  
2/19:	S: 258.0F		 	DL: 310.0	P: 87.5  
2/21:	S: 258.0F	B: 115.0F	 
2/23:	S: T						P: 90.0	  
2/26:	S: T		B: 115.0	 
3/2:							P: 92.5F			FS: 165.0 3x5
3/4:	S: 225.0  
3/7:	 		B: 117.5F	  
3/8:	S: 222.0	 
3/12:	S: 228.0					P: 92.5				C&J: 150.0  
3/14:	S: 233.0 
3/17:		 									Clean: 170.0
3/20:	S: 238.0					P: 95.0	 	 	 	FS: 205.0 x1  
3/22:	S: 243.0 
3/24:	Fail at eating and have no energy 	
3/26:	S: 248.0	B: 117.5	
3/28:	S: 253.0					P: 97.5F			Stop being vegetarian, weight 142.5 lbs
3/30:	S: 258.0	B: 120.0  
4/2:	S: 263.0					P: 97.5F	
4/4:	S: 268.0	B: 122.5  
4/7:		 									FS: 185.0 x5, O-lift technique work
4/9:	S: 273.0	B: 125.0	  
4/11:	S: 278.0F	B: 127.5~ 	 
4/13:	S: 278.0F	B: 130.0F	 
4/16:	S: 1RM (298)  
4/18:   Missed workout (did 50 push-ups)
4/20:   Something...
4/21:   Olympic lifts... get pinned under 225 lbs high bar squat
4/23:	S: 184.0	B: 130.0F~   							====== SWITCH TO HIGH BAR =====
4/25:	S: 188.0	B: 130.0	DL: 274.0 
4/27:	S: 198.0	B: 132.5 
4/30:	S: 203.0	B: 135.0	DL: 279.0  


x/x:	S: 	B: 	DL:  
x/x:	S: 					P: 	C:

========================================

(OLD GOALS):

The Short Term Goals (by 2012-4-1, modified 2012-3-2):
Weight: 150 lbs
Squat: 223 lbs (goal met on 2012-1-29, 63 days early)
* Squat: 273 lbs
Bench: 125 lbs
Deadlift: 315 lbs
Press: 100 lbs
Clean and Jerk: 150 lbs (goal met on 2012-3-12, 19 days early)
* Clean and Jerk: 160 lbs

[Bradley]

Weight: 140 lbs~
Squat: 223 lbs - 554
Bench: 105 lbs - 555 PR
Deadlift: 290 lbs - 5 PR

So today I was supposed to squat two plates which coincided with my first short term goal. Instead I got robbed; some dude decided to come out of no where and fondle me.

[elderly mayan]

lolled at guy in green...
This shit happens on daily basis in my gym. Last Friday some old guy runs across whole gym and yells "hold... holdd... I will hold on your pecs" in the middle of work set. Almost got heart attack... yelled back "go away" and really lost a lot of concentration because of this. Somehow did my reps. Guy was one of those fuckers, who thinks that squat needs to look upright like candle etc. Seems like this was similar case...

[Michael Park]

I'm sorry you got robbed, but that was pretty funny. I guess he was afraid you would have to set the bar on the safety pins. It looked like they were adjusted just fine and ready to help you if you needed it.

[MikeC1]

Bradley, Bradley, this is why you set the hooks on the other side of the rack, facing out, so that it's more awkward for people to creep up from behind and fondle you in the middle of your squats, and also so you don't have to deal with the mirror in front of you. Protip.

[Bradley]

Bradley, Bradley, this is why you set the hooks on the other side of the rack, facing out, so that it's more awkward for people to creep up from behind and fondle you in the middle of your squats, and also so you don't have to deal with the mirror in front of you. Protip.

The hooks only go on one way and the rack is bolted to the floor. The supports aren't solid but rather U-shaped.

[sasquatch]

You sure were nice about the green dude fondling you. I would have yelled at him to back off, and made it very clear that he is never allowed to touch me, ever. I'm so glad that I get to work out in my own garage.

[Bradley]

Squat: 223 lbs - 555 PR - First short-term goal met! New goal: 273 lbs.
Press: 77.5 lbs - 555 PR
Clean: Technique

I could have went on the 28th but recovery was poor so I decided to take another day.

Still having a hard time keeping my knees completely out on my work-sets. I did some back-off sets at 80% and 60% for technique. I don't see anything grossly wrong or dangerous. I think when the weight gets heavy my "knees out" cue which is what I keep in my mind gets replaced by "shit this is heavy--PUSH PUSH."

(Depth is a bit suspect, I guess I should get a side angle to confirm.)





Press went up without too much problem. I added some weight afterwards just to see how it felt and I was able to pull a double at 85 lbs with more in the tank. I don't expect to miss any reps for a little while unless I mess up the technique.

Making some breakthroughs on cleans. I've tried the starting strength version again and I just don't like the jump cue. I don't think it translates very well to the full clean. I think I've figured out how to do it decently "the other way." Bar path is pretty close to my chest.

[Bradley]

Squat: 228 lbs - 555 PR
Bench: 107.5 lbs - 555 PR
Deadlift: 300 lbs - 2 :-(

I've been adding some more protein to my diet in the form of powdered shakes. I made a shake yesterday with milk but forgot to take my lactase pill. That made the rest of the day uh... unpleasant.

Squat was massively hard. Bar speed on the last rep was very, very slow--it was a grind. My progress may start to slow unless I gain some weight. I think this is the point where I either eat more or start stalling.

Bench was about as difficult as 105 was. Very hard last reps but doable.

I missed my first reps on deadlift and I wasn't even close. The first rep went up fine, but the second rep seemed to drain all my energy and on the 3rd rep I could only get it a few inches off the ground. I'm not sure if I was still tired from very hard squats or if it's just too heavy. I don't know if I should attempt 300 again or try 295. I think 295 is probably the right call since I only pulled a double at 300.