Restarting Strength

[jsteve08]

Hi SS,

I did a good bit of Starting Strength last winter (http://startingstrength.com/resource...t=45002&page=2) but eventually stopped recording it here. I made it much farther than that, to about a 275 squat I think, but I got so busy that it was hard to keep going back, plus I was bored with the program and getting fat. So I did some dumbbell work for a while just to have some more fun in the gym, and started doing a good bit of cardio to drop some of the extra baggage.

I started at 185lbs last year and got up to 225lbs in bodyweight. I was not eating clean at all but I was eating a TON and drinking milk and my lifts all went through the roof as I gained weight. But I felt gross and fat. I've slimmed back down to 200lbs and don't feel gross anymore, I feel like I look just as good if not better than I did at 185 when I started.

I restarted the program a few weeks ago, going conservative with the weight to allow myself to ease back into it and make progress, since I hadn't done regular 3x weekly squatting and whatnot for a while. This time I'm determined to reach my goal of 4/3/2/1 plates on the major lifts (D/S/B/P). Not really sure where Power Cleans will end up, but I think 185 is doable, and 225 would be excellent.

I'm doing this all unbelted at the moment (I don't remember the weight I started using a belt last time, but I want to wait until I'm really stalling. The belt is a good tool to break through that plateau when the time comes). I have been progressing nicely and haven't hit any stalls yet, even though I was definitely stalling with these weights last time. I'm glad to keep moving up.

I'm just going to give a quick summary of what I've done so far and then start my log today.

Squat
185x5x3
195x5x3
205x5x3
215x5x3
225x5x3
235x5x3
245x5x3

Bench
145x5x3
150x5x3
155x5x3
160x5x3

Deadlift
225x5
245x5
255x5
265x5

Press
95x5x3
100x5x3
105x5x3

Power Clean
135x3x5
140x3x5
145x3x5

Today is 255 Squat, 110 OHP, 150 Power Clean. No stalling yet!

[jsteve08]

Squat 255x5x3
OHP 110x5x3
PC 150x3x5

I was dripping sweat by the end of this, power cleans by themselves make for a great workout. I'm excited I've made it this far squatting without a belt, hopefully it keeps going! I ordered a belt from best belts last week, it will be another week or two before I get it.