BB on SS--(Finally) getting the elusive three-plate squat

[Brodie Butland]

So, some background. I've run SS three times, and cracked 300 lbs on the squat twice. After the first time in late 2011, I was stuck in a multi-month preparation frenzy for a five-week trial--crappy eating, crappy sleeping, and highly inconsistent lifting for half a year when all was said and done. Literally had to restart at a 200 lbs squat and 150 lbs bench.

I hit 300 lbs again in mid-September 2012, but then had a series of work-related seminars, followed by an oral argument in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Crappy sleeping and inconsistent training set in again.

What's become clear is that I need an external stimulus to give me a severe guilt complex for not working out regularly--that way, I'll be forced to be consistent. And what better stimulus than the ability for any members of this forum to call me out for being lazy?

Here's to finally hitting that fucking three-plate squat (for five, of course)--and a 400 lbs deadlift and 225 bench wouldn't be so bad either...

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 215 lbs. Unsure about BF%, but I'd guess it's somewhere between 15 and 20%
Age: 29

[Brodie Butland]

Monday, 10/8

First day back after the oral argument. Felt pumped to start over.

Squat - Ramping sets to 250x5, 260x5, 275x5

275 felt pretty tough, but I seemed to nail it with good form.

Press - 105x5x3

105 felt pretty easy, but the press has always been one of the hardest lifts for me to progress--in the past, I kept stalling at 125. I wanted to err on the side of starting lower this time and working up strongly.

Deadlift - 315x5

Remarkably easy for first day deadlifting in a while. The deadlift has also posed issues for me in terms of stalling, but in the past I've had success by only deadlifting once a week. Will try that this time and see what happens.

[Brodie Butland]

Wednesday 10/10

Still a bit sore from Monday due to the hiatus, but could still get everything primed through a decent bottom-position squat stretching warmup.

Squat: Ramping sets 255x5, 270x5, 285x5

Actually easier than Monday, but quads were definitely feeling it.

Bench press: Ramping sets 155x5, 175x5, 190x5

About three weeks prior hit 205 for sets across, and in the past I've maintained bench strength pretty well. 190 was pretty easy overall.

Power clean: 140x3x5

First three sets were easy, but last rep on the last two sets felt like there was a little arm pull. Probably just got tired.

[Brodie Butland]

Friday 10/12

Went to the gym in the middle of the day, which is unusual for me--usually I don't do too well unless I go at 5:00pm or later. But since we had company over that night and needed to catch dinner beforehand, I figured I'd finish my lifting during the lunch hour. Turns out it wasn't that great of a move.

Squat: Ramping 260x5, 280x5x2

The first set of 280 was a grind, and my quads were still on fire from M/W. Also didn't help that I only had two meals in me, albeit of decent size--usually I lift after eating at least four times. Decided to keep it at 280, and will try to make sure I don't do the mid-day stuff again. Monday is another day.

Press: 110x5x3

Despite squats being a grind, the press sets really weren't--except for the last two reps on the last set, which I nearly missed. Last rep took a long time.

Chins: Bodyweight for 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1

I used to be pretty good at chins but stopped doing them--and adding 30 lbs of bodyweight didn't help anything. I have pretty shoddy bicep development, and I've wanted to add a little accessory back work to my lifting--so chins seemed like the natural solution. My goal will be to hit at least 15 reps in as few sets as possible, with 1-2 min rest between sets--and once I can hit it in 3 sets, I'll increase to 20. I think I'll start adding weight once I hit 3 sets of 8.

[Brodie Butland]

Monday, 10/15

Squat: Ramping sets 265x5, 280x5, 295x5

295 felt really easy this time, and I had someone checking my depth on every rep. For the first time in a while, I felt a really good bounce of the hole. I think it's because I started focusing more on extending my lower back. I'm prone to overextension because of lordosis, and so traditionally I've been hesitant to squeeze the lower back hard for fear of an overextension injury--and I may have overcorrected the problem by ignoring my lower back more than I should have. Tonight was a good balance--felt strong and tight the entire time, and had no lingering back pain afterwards. Definitely could have hit 300 if I wanted.

Bench press: Ramping sets 170x5, 185x5, 200x5

Really concentrated on staying tight, and got a great stretch reflex. 200 went up easy.

Deadlift: 325x5

Got a little red in the face, but reps were pretty easy overall--didn't feel at any point like I was losing extension.

[Calvo]

Here's to finally hitting that fucking three-plate squat (for five, of course)--and a 400 lbs deadlift and 225 bench wouldn't be so bad either...

Holy mother of God do I ever know that feel bro. Sounds like you're well on your way though. Height/BW?

[Brodie Butland]

Wednesday 10/17

Something felt really off tonight--not sure why. I felt really energetic in the morning, ate somewhere between 2,500 and 2,700 calories (pretty typical for my pre-lifting intake), and then started feeling like shit at about 4:00. Met my wife to go lifting at 6, and learned out of the box that it was just going to be a shitty night.

Squat: 265x2, 255x5x3

The first real squat set felt just awful. The weight felt ridiculously heavy--far heavier than the 295 set on Monday. Don't know if it's a recovery thing, or just a bad day. Form was off even on the 255 sets--nothing was clicking for me for some reason.

Matt Reynolds told me at the SS seminar in June that one of his lifting buddies lived by a rule that even on his worst days, he would still make sure that he lifted a minimum amount, because it was pushing through those bad days that would give him the edge over someone that decided to just call it a day. I liked that a lot, and I set my "bad day minimum" to 85% of my last 5RM--hence the 255.

Press: 115x5x3

Whereas the squat sucked ass, the press felt really good. I tried to focus more on using my hips to finish the movement, and it seemed to work--every rep went up easy, even the last ones.

Power clean: 145x3x5

These started out pretty well, but then started having issues in the fourth and fifth sets. Again, I think a product of a shitty day in general. I'm pretty sure I was losing back extension, because the bar wasn't consistently landing in the right places. I'll feel out 150 lbs the next time I power clean, but I may end up repeating 145 if the form feels wrong.


Overall, I felt pretty good about the press (I've had plateauing issues with 115 in the past), but the awful squats and cleans are definitely disappointing. Just one of those days, I guess. At least there's Friday.

On the plus side, I coached my wife through a solid deadlift using the 25 lbs bar. Her lifting is coming along very nicely, especially for someone who only started four weeks ago.

[Brodie Butland]

Holy mother of God do I ever know that feel bro. Sounds like you're well on your way though. Height/BW?

Whoops--that might help to gauge progress, wouldn't it? 5'11 and 215 lbs--added it to the intro.

[synchronicity]

Overall, I felt pretty good about the press (I've had plateauing issues with 115 in the past), but the awful squats and cleans are definitely disappointing. Just one of those days, I guess. At least there's Friday.

You want awful squats? I'm pressing 110 currently, but my squat is at a whopping....175. Three plate squat? Hell, I'll ecstatic when I make it up to a TWO plate squat! (Granted I'm a newbie, but STILL...sheesh).

Don't know if that makes you feel better or worse or what, but suffice to say "awful squat" is in the eyes of the beholder.

[Michael Wolf]

Good to see your log here, Brodie. I see you're using those ramping sets, which, other than the oddly shitty day (which happens, way to fight through it), seem to be working pretty well to get you back up quickly.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. 315x5 will happen.