A Strength Training Log

[Etranger]

Hello,

Highly imaginative thread titles aside, I am a (nearly) twenty year old incoming college freshman who stands three inches above six feet, weighs ~160 pounds (before I started training, I was 137!), who spent a few months "not doing the program", and has started again today.

I trained for around 8 weeks last, probably a little less, and made some okay-ish gains. I was still not doing the program, largely because my form crap, and I was not eating enough. I still put on 20 pounds. Following that, I fucked around some more, and then just stopped going to the gym. I should point out that it is not a very motivating place to be, but curling bros and possible being the sole squatter there aren't valid excuses. People with one functional leg can deadlift...

As you may have guessed, I am a very weak individual, and as of right now, all I care about is getting strong(er).

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Monday 03/11/13

Squat 123x3x5

Press 33x3x5

Deadlift 113x1x5

Chins 2x3, 1x2

(struggled to get the third rep of the second set; did not go all the way with the second rep of the third set)

Note that I use a 33lbs (15kg) barbell.

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I am yet to buy the book. I will have to talk to my father and see if he is open to reading it. If not, then I will save some cash and get the book immediately by buying the Kindle version. I am looking to get my dad in the gym as well. He is 5'6, and 155 pounds. He is diabetic and has/had some issues with kidney stones.

[Etranger]

Wednesday 03/13/13

Squat 123x3x5

Bench 44x3x5

Deadlift 133x3x5

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By far my worse gym session. I'll make another thread for that.

[Etranger]

Saturday 03/16/13

Squat* 133x1x3

Press 43x3x5

Deadlift 153x1x5

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*This is for the second set. My form got sloppy on the 2nd rep, and I barely made the 3rd rep. Heck I wouldn't count the 3rd rep at all. I started moving forward on my way up. I could have seriously hurt myself. I just I should have used 113 or 118 pounds instead.

I actually watched the 18-minute video Mark has on the Vimeo channel, and I tried to squat that way. I think that in Wednesday's session, I placed the bar *below* the spine of the scapula, instead of above it. So, the owner may have had good reason to believe that the weight was too heavy for me and that the bar was too low. It was too low to be stable (I felt it moving, which could be why I paused while down, or at least, it could be part of the reason), but not low to the extent that he claims, seeing as the bar shouldn't be resting on my shoulders anyway.

I think my form was better today, but I should have just used 113 or 118 pounds instead of 133 for my work set. I was able to squat 123 in a warm up set, but my wrist position felt weird. I placed my thumb over the bar, made sure the bar "felt" just above the respective spines of my scapulae, and that my forearms and hands were straight. I just wasn't sure how to grab the bar with my thumbs over it. It felt really weird. I also found it hard to use a sufficiently narrow grip.

I'll try to film and then post a video to check my form tomorrow. I'll have to buy a mop stick.

After that horrible squat, I felt like going home. I went to the other side of the room, and as I was about to leave, I figured "fuck it, I'll press and deadlift and see what happens." And so I did, a little scared that I may not finish my sets, partly out of fear for not having eaten enough today.

[Etranger]

Tuesday 03/19/13

Squat 103 x 3 x 5

Bench 53 x 2 x 6, 53 x 1 x 7

Deadlift 173 x 1 x 5

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I read more on the squat, and watch videos of Justin and Zach squatting. This time, my form is much better. When I first started squatting at the gym, I was told to look up, so that I'd keep my back straight. I didn't pay much attention to it, and I realize that I've been doing this for a while now. I stopped once I read about the imbalance it could cause. Yesterday, on the 4th rep of my 3rd work set, I unconsciously started to lift my head as I was going up. So, when doing the 5th rep, I kept my head down, and went up. I think that's because this "imbalance" creates a little momentum (or something) that can allow me to get up with more ease. Bad idea. I had to work much harder to drive my ass up on the last rep, but it was worth it. And much safer.

I am not happy with my wrist positioning. I think I'm doing something wrong here, as the bar is not held tightly by them. It moves a little, and during one rep, my left forearm wasn't straight anymore. I will have to read more on this.

The upper body exercises, in general, have always been very hard for me. I was quite surprised to see that I could increase both the overhead press and the bench press by 10lbs. Strangely enough, I felt like 53lbs was quite easy, and I "phased out" at some point, and ended up doing an extra rep or two. I was scared to put more weight on the bar because I felt like my hands wouldn't allow me to push more. I feel like if I had slightly stronger arms, I would have been able to bench more.

The deadlift was really hard this time. I should eat more. Happy about the 20lbs increase.