Ryan's Road to Strength

[Ryan Elliott]

Basic facts

Height: 5' 9"
Starting Weight: 152 lbs.

I'm excited to be a novice again, and looking forward to getting far stronger than I've ever been.

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #1

Feb. 17, 2013

Body weight: 152 lbs.

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat, 135 5 x 3
Bench, 125 5 x 3
Deadlift, 145 5 x 3

Assistance work

Barbell curls, 55 5 x 3

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #2

Feb. 20, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat, 145 5 x 3
Press, 75 5 x 3
Power Clean, 115 3 x 5

Assistance work

Chins, singles

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #3

Feb. 22, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat, 155 5 x 3
Bench, 135 5 x 3
Deadlift, 155 5 x 3

Assistance work

Dips

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #4

Feb. 24, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------125 3 x 1
----------------145 2 x 1
----------------165 5 x 3

Press
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------55 5 x 1
-----------------65 3 x 1
-----------------70 2 x 1
-----------------80 5 x 3

Deadlift
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------125 3 x 1
----------------145 2 x 1
----------------165 5 x 1

Assistance work

Chins, singles

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #5

Feb. 27, 2013

Body weight: 159 lbs.

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------155 2 x 1
----------------175 5 x 3

Bench
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------115 3 x 1
----------------125 2 x 1
----------------140 5 x 3

Deadlift
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------155 2 x 1
----------------175 5 x 1

Assistance work

Chins, doubles

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #6

Mar. 1, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------170 2 x 1
----------------185 5 x 3 (* miss, see note)

Press
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------55 5 x 1
-----------------65 3 x 1
-----------------75 2 x 1
-----------------85 5 x 3

Deadlift
----------------135 5 x 2
----------------145 5 x 1
----------------155 3 x 1
----------------170 2 x 1
----------------185 5 x 1

Assistance work

Chins, triples, then doubles

* Note: This did not make me happy. My gym, which is an enormous commercial gym, has precisely 1 power rack. This being my first month back, I prefer to squat within the rack, because I don't want to have to dump the iron plates. Prior to this workout, I had been squatting inside a rack in which the barbell is affixed to two vertical bars that act as a track, permitting the barbell to travel up and down but not side to side. The lone power rack being busy, I thought that the pseudo power rack (or assistance rack) would be an adequate substitute. I was wrong.

During this workout, the first time I squatted inside the real power rack, the warm up sets felt heavier, and I noticed that I had some form issues because I had to account for the additional degrees of freedom associated with the equipment change. Essentially, I was previously training a different exercise that was not a true, unassisted squat.

I am resetting to 165, and will no longer use the assistance rack. If that means squatting outside one of the press and pull type stations, so be it. I also need to find a better place to train...

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #7

Mar. 3, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------150 2 x 1
----------------165 5 x 3

Bench
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------115 3 x 1
----------------135 2 x 1
----------------145 5 x 3

Deadlift
----------------135 5 x 2
----------------145 5 x 1
----------------155 3 x 1
----------------175 2 x 1
----------------195 5 x 1

Assistance work

Chins
----------------BW 3 x 2
----------------BW 2 x 2

Notes: Today was a good day. I felt much better about my squat technique after backing down to 165. My deadlift work set marked my fifth 10 pound increase, and I successfully completed the set of five. That said, it felt very heavy, and my grip got a little loose at the end (mostly because I don't have chalk). My plan is to move forward with five pound increases on all of my lifts for as long as I can sustain it. At that point, I'll invest in some 1.25 pound plates.

This weekend, I slightly hyperextended my left wrist playing flag football (just landed on it wrong). The only time it bothered me was on the bench press, but I was able to work through it. I anticipate it will be fully healed by Wednesday.

Action Items: Buy chalk.

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #8

Mar. 6, 2013

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat (tonnage: 4190)
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------155 2 x 1
----------------170 5 x 3

Press (tonnage: 2430)
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------55 5 x 1
-----------------65 3 x 1
-----------------80 2 x 1
-----------------90 5 x 3

Power Clean (tonnage: 3090)
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------65 5 x 1
-----------------95 3 x 1
----------------115 2 x 1
----------------120 3 x 5

Total Tonnage: 9710

Notes: I felt pretty good today. Not as explosive as I would have liked on the power cleans, but that was mostly a product of doing them last. I have some Rogue lifting shoes and a climber's chalk shot on the way.

(all weight listed in pounds)

[Ryan Elliott]

Training Day #9

Mar. 8, 2013

Body weight: 162 lbs. (+10 from starting weight)

Exercise, Weight Reps x Sets

Squat (tonnage: 4275)
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------135 3 x 1
----------------160 2 x 1
----------------175 5 x 3

Bench (tonnage: 3800)
-----------------45 5 x 2
-----------------95 5 x 1
----------------115 3 x 1
----------------140 2 x 1
----------------150 5 x 3

Deadlift (tonnage: 3875)
----------------135 5 x 2
----------------145 5 x 1
----------------155 3 x 1
----------------180 2 x 1
----------------195 3 x 1

Total Tonnage: 11950 (assistance work not included)

Assistance Work

Chins
----------------BW 5 x 1
----------------BW 2 x 1
----------------BW 1 x 1

Notes: I forgot my log today and was going to get pissed off before I remembered about this log in the SS forum. I was able to login from my smart phone and program my workout from there. Gotta love technology. Today was my first day with my new Rogue lifting shoes and climber's chalk setup. I was really happy with both purchases. The shoes are incredibly comfortable and stable. They seem to have a very minimal break-in period. I ordered the White Gold refillable chalk shot from Black Diamond, and was really happy with it too. It's simple, but effective; definitely noticed a difference on my last rep deadlift because of it.

(all weight listed in pounds)

"Just train to get strong, plan to get stronger, and don't be happy with anything you do for more than 10 minutes. -Rip"