Keep me honest log

[dgw]

Started Stronglifts in Feb and switched to Starting Strength in mid-April.

About me
Age: 38
Weight: 101kgs
Height: 5 11
BF: don't know % but waist says too much
Goals: Increase strength, lower body fat, enjoy the gym.
Target: 455kg total for big3 by year end.
Constraints: 4 young kids. 6 hrs quality sleep is a rarity.

Lifts as of 17th July (all kgs)
Squat: 3x5x122.5
Deadlift: 5x160
Bench: 3x5x102.5
OHP: 3x5x61
Row: 3x5x70 (power cleans aggravate old wrist injury).

[dgw]

last session

Squat: 4x5x90, 2x5x102.5.
Worked in with someone after completing rest of session and still not having free squat rack. Did wrong weight to start off with, result was I nearly passed out on 2nd set of target weight. Will still up weight for next session as I was happy with form.

Bench: 3x5x95 (PR)
Really happy with this. Think it went so well as I had not done squat session first. Form was great but bar speed very slow on last couple of reps on last two sets

Row: 3x5x62.5
Completed sets but form was terrible. I keep stalling at this weight and am starting to hate this exercise. Have great form at 60kgs but goes to shit above that.

Dips:3x10
Happy with progress here as only 2nd session I have done dips.

[dgw]

last session

Squat: 3x5x105.
Bit ugly but got there. Had done more aerobic exercise than normal on rest day so happy with this. Historically dodgy knee starting to give me some pain. Not whilst working out though. Get pain directly behind knee cap when going up or down steps.

OP: 3x5x55, 1x60, 1x65, 1x70
Work sets went very smoothly, so tried a 1RM.

Deadlift: 1x5x120
Completed with good form apart from small and quick grip adjustment each rep.

[dgw]

Been away with work through week and just did couple of sessions with light weights available in hotel gyms. Had most successul session ever today, so rest week or light week every 2 or 3 months does not seem like the worst idea.

Squat: 3x5x107.5.
Not perfect form but happy with depth in each rep.

Bench: 2x5x97.5, 1x4x97.5
Really happy with this despite not quite getting there.

Row: 3x5x65
Completed sets with good form. Started with rows as squat rack was taken. Really seems to make a difference what order I do exercises in.

OP: 3x5x57.5 (PR)
Decided to try all exercises in one day and these went up really quite smoothly.

Deadlift 1x5x125 (PR)
Best form ever.Delighted with this exercise. A week away seems to have really helped here.

[dgw]

Last session - big let down

Squat: 3x5x110kgs.
Got these done but form was all over the place

Bench: 2x5x97.5, 1x4x97.5
Did not quite get there, started with grip too narrow on second set and only managed 4, rested full 5mins and squeezed out 5 for final set. Best exercise of the day even though did not get my 3x5.

Deadlift 1x2x130
Big let down after last session. Grip went, technique was terrible, felt nowhere near getting it up.

Very disappointing outing. Back felt very tired today (think did too much previous session) and sleep and nutrition have not been great since previous outing.

Still, better than doing bugger all and ale I am currently enjoying is lifting morale.

I am hopeful that with a bit more attention to recovery that form will be better next time.

[dgw]

Ordered copies of SS and PP today from amazon. Could not get from aasgard site as this warning kept coming up everytime I tried to click through to store:
dotDefender Blocked Your Request please contact the site administrator, and provide the following Reference ID:15dd-127c-1ea5-f6a1

Also ordered some eco balls to help with deadlift grip

[dgw]

Squat 3x5x112.5
Got them done but form was poor. Form been bad (leaning forward too much) for few sessions, will drop a few kgs to concentrate on technique.

OP 2x5x60, 1x4x60
Really annoyed with myself for totally losing concentration in 2nd set, 60kg is fucking with my head on OHP. It is weight I stalled at on 5x5 too.

PC 5x3x70
First real go at cleans. i really enjoyed them, which was a bit of a surprise. Will leave this weight for next session while I work on form.

Deadlift 1x5x130 (PR)
Had to have a go at these after friend gave me some coaching on mixed grip. Went up smoooooth. Happy, happy man.

[dgw]

Last session - 2 PRs and one epic fail

Squat: 4x115kgs, 2x5x90
First ever complete failure on squats. I think was ambitious/stupid having played game of rugby day before.

Bench: 3x5x97.5
Very happy to get through this weight and on to 2 plates. Think I need to order some .5kg plates though.

Deadlift 1x5x135, 1x5x140
Mixed grip continues to work well for work sets. Feel confident on this exercise again.

[dgw]

Squat 3x5x115kg
Got them done but form poor once again. Finding it hard to judge if I am looking to use form as excuse to drop weight back or being too greedy so I can move weight up.

OP 3x5x60kg (PR)
Happy that I have eventually learned how to rest sufficiently between sets when going for new PR.

Deadlift 1x5x145
Form was poor here, grip too far back in hand and hands drifted away from body resulting in a (now) very tender lower back. I know form has been sacrificed for greed here, will drop back to 125 and move up in 2.5kg increments.

Pull ups 2x4, 3x3

[dgw]

I need a defined goal. So aiming for 455kg/1000lb total on my sets on big 3 lifts by year end. Want to accomplish this with no increase from current bw of circa 100kg.

Have set sub targets of:
SQ 150kg
BP 120kg
DL 185kg

Then I might focus on finding that 34" waist my wife remembers so fondly....