Rural Starting Strength - Lee's Log

[Tiamat]

Hi Everyone,

I am a 42 year old woman with a hubby and three young boys that lives in the middle of nowhere and make do with the equipment I have... but I've decided to work on following Starting Strength. I have been doing a lot of kettlebell work for the past 9 months or so and I do lots of other activities as well (hiking, trail running, sprinting, etc). I am dropping ALL of that (except maybe some casual hiking when possible) so I can try to stick with the program!

I have a Powertec Multigym (I know - SACRILEGE - I've had it for years and didn't know better) but I have no spotters available when I lift 99% of the time (my husband and I take turns watching the boys while the other is working out). I have an Olympic Bar and just ordered another (so I don't have to unload just to play with the upcoming power cleans). The Powertec allows me to work my squat and bench without risk of significant injury, but I know I have to throw in some bar work for that as well when I have a spotter available.

I lifted last week (pre-SS) to a comfortable DL 3x5 165 (was planning on going up to 175 this week) and a bench of 3 x 5 105... But I was doing NO warmup sets (just general warmups) so my weights were significantly lower following the first day SS protocol:

Squats: 45 1x5; 55 1x5; 65 1x5; 75 1x5; 85 1x5; 95 3x5. My last squats were 100 3x15, so this seemed pretty lame, but the book says 'average start is 85', and being female and just returning to lifting from kettlebell work I figured I'd be conservative, especially since they say people typically start too heavy anyway.

Bench: 45 1x5; 55 1x5; 65 1x5; 75 3x5

DL: 45 1x5; 65 1x5; 85 1x5; 105 1x5; 135 1x5. I know I cheated on loading these with 10 lb plates, but I was annoyed with all of the plate changing I tried 155 and my form was terrible, so I called it at 135.

I was fairly disappointed, but attributed it to the sheer number of sets and my not being used to so many warm up sets...

I'm glad I got off my butt to try this! I am very inspired by so many folks on this blog - the female competitive lifters out there are just AMAZING!!!

[Tiamat]

Got stomach flu on Friday, 5/4, so did workout on Saturday, 5/5:

Squats: 45 3x5; 60 1x3; 80 1x2; 100 3x5
Press: 45x3 (sad! Maybe due to residual illness?)
DL: 55 2x5; 85 1x3; 120 1x2; 145 1x5

Monday 5/7
Squats: 45 3x5; 60 1x3; 80 1x2; 105 3x5
Bench: 45 3x5; 55 1x3; 70 1x2; 80 3x5
DL: 60 2x5; 90 1x3; 135 1x2; 155 1x5

[yonkyogirl]

Welcome! Those numbers are pretty decent for a woman starting out, this is going to be good :-)

[Tiamat]

Aww, thanks for the welcome!

I feel pretty lame, though, because I've been doing some pretty heavy kettlebell work for several months prior to this, and some of my lifts were a LOT higher when I wasn't doing so many warmup sets... Still, I know I'm doing the right thing by following this program. Slow and steady (and warmed up and safe! *hahaha*) stays the course!

Wednesday 5/9
Squats: 45 3x5; 65 1x3; 85 1x2; 110 3x5
Press: 45 3x5; 45 1x3; 45 1x2; 55 3x5
DL: 60 2x5; 95 1x3; 135 1x2; 160 1x5

Need to work on my shoulder mobility - back squat low-bar position is rough for me...

[DPMuller]

Slow and steady is the name of the game - better to be safe than sorry.

My family lived in Lebanon for 6 years but are in MA now, so we're kind of neighbors. Myself, I'm a raw beginner - lifted for only 4 weeks before having to take an break from my training due to a serious back injury (unrelated to lifting - tackle from behind during a soccer game flipped me up and I landed on my back). Will start my own training log as soon as I'm able to lift, hopefully by next week.

Do not worry about starting numbers, high or low - worry about lifting with the proper form instead. As long as you keep improving every workout, weights will be there. Higher weights done with improper form or by endangering yourself by skipping warmups are worthless at best and probably dangerous.

You can take a wider grip on the bar if shoulders are an issue - make sure to keep elbows up (not below the bar) and the wrists straight. Check the book for the proper grip pictures and instructions.

Do you have Rip's DVD?

[slowjoe]

Welcome.

Standard questions: Height? Weight? (You don't have to answer...). PBs? Goals? (optional)

I don't get the multigym reference. Could you mention when the multigym is in use vs when a barbell is in use?

Except for Deadlifts. I can work that out on my own (with a little thinking :-) )

[Tiamat]

Friday 5/11

Squats: 45 3x5; 65 1x3; 90 1x2; 115 3x5
Bench: 45 3x5; 55 1x3; 75 1x2; 85 3x5
DL: 65 2x5; 95 1x3; 145 1x2; 165 1x5


Thanks DP - you're absolutely right. I'm sorry to hear about your back injury, though! OUCH! I am focusing entirely on form - I try to work on one specific thing each time while doing my best to keep everything else as close to right as I can (as a newbie). Today I worked on breathing. :-) I have the book, but I don't have the DVD. I've watched a bunch of Rip's Youtube videos, though - they are very helpful!

Thanks for the welcome, Slowjoe! Height is 5'6"ish (I am shrinking, though, I think *haha*). Weight - I have no idea. Last time I weighed myself I was just barely under 150. My hubby is pretty uber-fit, and he basically took the scale away from me because it changed my outlook too much, too often. So I haven't weighed myself in a few months, and I like that :-D

PBs? Well, I assume years ago doesn't count :-) Right now, the best I've benched was 105 (3x5), but that was without warmup sets of bench. I've squatted over 200 before, but not for a while, and I don't recall my best DL - grip always caused me problems in the past. I have chalk, I even picked up some grip pads (which are actually pretty useful to keep the bar from digging into your hand), and I use a mixed grip... Goals - to get as strong as possible, of course! Seriously, I'd like to be able to DL 2x bodyweight, squat at least 1.5 bodyweight, and bench my bodyweight. I'd like to also work on my chinups, but I've been waiting to reintroduce them to the program to follow the 'rules' as much as possible. I was doing kettlebells, chins, sprints, and the occasional sledgehammer workout prior to starting this program.

The multigym thing I use for squats and bench when I don't have a spotter (sadly, most of the time). I like to use the bar for the at least the lowest warmup squats to make sure I am not completely messing up my form using the squat station. I use the bar for DLs and powercleans (which I haven't introduced yet other than playing around with the bar to work on form - the wikia said to wait until DL form is very solid and I figured I should wait at least the initial two weeks before introducing them). Next week I'll start them!

My plan is that when I get to a reasonable goal - 1.5x or so squats - and I'm sure that I just NEED a squat rack, I'll get rid of the existing setup and pick up a proper squat rack and bench. I do like the safety of this setup, but I don't like the loss of the core stabilization work.

Here's a picture - http://www.powertecfitness.com/image...t/large/12.jpg I've included the link in case the image doesn't display. It's actually kind of a cool thing, and ceiling height is a problem, which I think is why we didn't go power rack in the first place (that was almost 10 years ago, I believe). Mine is a little different - the bench (on left) is a slightly different shape and doesn't have the same extension for the bar nor the station at the end of the bench (not sure what it is). I never use the middle station - leg extensions and pulldowns, although I used to do pulldowns. Squat station on right is pretty much the same.



Phew! Sorry for the long post! Have a great weekend, all!

[Tiamat]

Monday, 5/14
Squats: 45 3x5; 70 1x3; 95 1x2; 120 3x5
Press: 45 3x5; 45 1x3; 55 1x2; 60 3x5
DL: 65 2x5; 100 1x3; 140 1x2; 170 1x5

[jenica]

I'm a few days late to the party, but welcome! I'll be following your progress. Since you have some lifting background, I'm sure you'll make quick progress. I can't wait to see it!

And, once you are hooked, definitely get yourself a power rack. If you squat and bench inside with the rails set at the proper height, you're perfectly safe and able to get the full benefit of barbell training. A machine forces you into a particular position and takes the stabilization out (which will definitely impact carryover when you do switch).

[hrat]

Hi! I agree, that's a pretty good deadlift for just starting out.

But I disagree with your squat rack plan. Waiting to get up to 1.5 BW on that thing, then trying to switch to a bar will waste a lot of your time. If you're brave and/or stupid like I am, I started out with some 2x4's in concrete buckets as squat stands. You can buy stands for cheap, and they'll serve you well if you're sensible.

Good luck