Frank's log - "The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday"

[FrankSanders]

Finally, two years after finding Starting Strength, I'm making the time to start a log on the forum. It's not that I don't keep a log, it's just that the extra time doing double log entries was more than I wanted to deal with.

Age: 62 next month, Apr 2014
Weight: 209, down from 218 a few months ago and up from 183 a year ago
Height: 5' 6"

I've never did a squat or deadlift until beginning SS in Feb 2012. When I was in HS in the late 60's the football coaches didn't know what a squat was, but we did do leg press on the Universal machine.

After graduating college in 1974, age 22, I went into the US Navy and was fortunate enough to get through BUD/S and then on to SEAL Team. We focused on running, swimming and upper body and ab stuff like sit-ups, flutter kicks, pull-ups, dips, pushups, and rope climb. I had a blast for 6 years and then entered civilian life. But that was the start of over 45 years of long distance running and upper body training, so I've ended up as an old guy with a pretty weak posterior chain.

My last race was a 50K mountain trail race that tore up the meniscus in my right knee. I rang the bell on running and started looking around for something else to do to train. Biking in spandex is gay (except for Steve Hill) and I can't swim due to an old shoulder injury, so I didn't find anything that was interesting and challenging until I read a magazine article "Everything You Know About Fitness is Wrong." It referenced Rip's books that I immediately ordered and read and here I am.

I live in Atlanta and was able to take several SS one-day Workshops. Steve Hill was the lead coach and that was critical to progressing with decent form. I was able to work one-on-one with Steve and also did an old guy online programming consult with Andy Baker, another critical step. Last Dec 2013 I took the Level II SS Seminar and that was another big step for me in improving my form.

I work out in my garage and am using a 4 day split HLM type program (without the light day) from Andy Baker. No Cleans or Snatches for me, since I suck.

Tue: Bench volume, press heavy
Wed: Squat volume

Fri: Bench heavy, press volume
Sat: Squat heavy, DL (alternate weekly 1x5 heavy with SLDL 2x5 on a 3" platform about 100 lbs. less than the heavy DL.)

I work full time and travel a fair amount so it's always a struggle to keep on schedule, but I do OK. I have a sled that I try to push once a week on off days, but that is a lower priority and it usually doesn't get done.

I also have started competing recreationally to get my 1 RMs.

1st Meet Aug 2013
Weight class: 198
Squat: 275.6
Bench: 237
DL: 391.3
Total: 903.9

2nd Meet Jan 2014
Weight class: 220
Squat: 297.5
Bench: 271.1
DL: 418.9
Total: 986.5

Next meet is July 2014.

[FrankSanders]

Mon 17 March 2014

Squat - Heavy
45x5, 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 255x1, 275x5 (5RM PR)
Accessory beach shit for the gunzz
Superset SS Oly barbell curls @70 with tricep pushdown @75 5x10, 2 min clock
Chins
bwx5, bwx5, bwx5

[FrankSanders]

Tue 18 March 2014

Press volume 3x8
45x5, 45x5, 65x5, 85x3, 105x1, 111x8, 111x8,111x8, PR for a 3x8 (my left shoulder is pretty fucked up from an old injury and I suck at the Press)

Bench Heavy 1x5 Fail
45x15, 45x15, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 245x1, 260x4. I almost got it, but failed to lock out the 5th rep. This would have been a 5RM PR. I think I would have made it, but I fucked up and did the Press volume 3x8 work first. I forgot that I always should do the heavy, low volume sets first when alternating between Bench and Press. Stupid mistake.

CGBP
215x8, 215x8

Incline DB Bench
60x10
60x10

Dips
bwx12, bwx12

[FrankSanders]

Thu 20 March 2014

weight: 211.4

Squat - 3x5 volume
45x5, 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 250x5, 250x5, 250x5, Hooyah!! PR for 3x5
I video all SQ work sets and although this weight is heavy for me, depth and form looked decent for all reps

Shrugs- 3x8
135x5, 185x5, 225x8, 225x8, 225x8, this was the first time I've done shrugs in about 3 years and thought I might try adding them in after volume squats once a week, it doesn't take long and hopefully won't take away for the other lifts.

Gunzz
Superset SS Oly Curls @70 with Tricep pushdown @75, 5x10 on a 2 minute clock

Chins
bw 4x4 on a 5 minute clock

[luke.conrad]

Strong lifting! Keep working on dem GUNZ!

[FrankSanders]

Thanks Luke. Got to be ready for the beach in 7 weeks.

[FrankSanders]

Fri 21 March 2014

Press - Heavy 1x5
45x5, 45x5, 65x5, 85x3, 105x1, 115x1, 121x5 PR for 1x5!! Only adding 1 lb/week.

Bench Press - Volume 5x5
45x15, 45x15, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 235x1, 242.5x5 PR for 5x5!! Rep 5 of 5th set was a grind. Very tough sets. Elbows and shoulders felt sore, which is new. May be the curl/tri work recently added on squat days.

Seated DB Incline Press 3x8
25x5, 30x8, 30x8, 30x8 Thought I'd add this for press assistance. Pretty easy, go to 35s next time.

Dips
bw x10, bw x10, bw x10

Feeling pretty beat up this workout. Added assistance and hypertrophy work about 10 days ago and it's definitely affecting my recovery. I'm going to have to dial that back if I want to keep progressing the main lifts. But it was still a good week. I hit 5 new PRs out of a possible 6.

[FrankSanders]

Mon 24 March 2014

Bench Press - Heavy 1x5
45x15
45x15
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x1
245x1
260x5 PR for 1x5
This was my second attempt at 260x5, I missed the 5th rep last heavy BP day, Tue 18 March.

Press - Volume 3x8
45x5
45x5
65x5
85x3
105x1
112x8
112x8
112x8 PR for 3x8 Pathetically weak on the Press and I can only add 1 lb a week; still a long way from 135. Maybe by the end of 2014.

Good day, 2 PRs, but still feeling beat up, stiff and sore joints which is unusual. Skipped CGBP, Incline DB BP and Dips to see if reducing the newly added accessory work helps with recovery. It totally sux getting old.

[Walter Palmer]

Glad you are making the effort to keep this on-line log. I've subscribed and looking forward to following your progress!

[FrankSanders]

Thanks Walter.