Training

[Bartman]

Hello everyone, I am:

Male
28 y/o
5'10
216 lb

I got into strength training five years ago when I read SS for the first time. Since then I have based my training around all of the major lifts, but, like a dummy, I never actually did the program. I developed some decent strength, and messed around with 531 for a while, but never made that much progress. My PRs, all set just over a year ago, are:

Squat: 350
Pull: 420
Press: 160
Bench: 260

In January of 2014 I suffered a disc injury in my lower back while squatting. I re-injured the disc deadlifting in July, and then for a third time in September while squatting 225 for 5. At this point I admitted to myself that I never let the injury heal properly. I took some time off and saw a chiropractor for a while. A few weeks later I got back under the bar (with very light weights) and started working my way back.

After two months of slowly moving the weights back up, my back finally feels great for the first time in a while. I also purchased and read PPST Vol. 3, which has finally given me the knowledge to program intelligently. My plan is to run through the novice program. While I am not a novice in the traditional sense, I believe that I still have a lot to gain by going this route, including bulletproofing my back.

I plan to follow the following model at the outset, then to make changes as necessary.

A
Squat
Press
Deadlift

B
Squat
Bench
Power Clean

[Bartman]

Tuesday, January 20th

Squat: 225x5x3
Press: 135x5x3
Pull: 275x5

[Bartman]

Thursday, January 22nd

Squat: 230x5x3
Bench: 205x5x3
Power Clean: 165x3x5

[Bartman]

Saturday, January 24th

Squat: 235x5x3
Press: 140x5x3
Pull: 285x5

The squat and pull feel slightly challenging--in a good way. The first set of press was a grind. I took a full 5 mins between the next two sets and they went up nice and easy.

[Bartman]

Monday, January 26th

Squat: 240x5x3
Bench: 210x5x3
Clean: 170x3x5

Cleans were tough, but I think that had something to do with the fact that the gym I went to today has 45 lb plates that have 3 small, flat edges, causing them to roll all the time.

[carson]

Monday, January 26th

Squat: 240x5x3
Bench: 210x5x3
Clean: 170x3x5

Cleans were tough, but I think that had something to do with the fact that the gym I went to today has 45 lb plates that have 3 small, flat edges, causing them to roll all the time.

You mean that they are worm out? Three flat edges would make them a triangle but I don't think you mean that. Do you mean they are hex?

[Bartman]

You mean that they are worm out? Three flat edges would make them a triangle but I don't think you mean that. Do you mean they are hex?

No, they kind of look like this except they are iron:



The other gym location I go to has round plates. Needless to say I try to go there whenever possible.

[carson]

Gracious, I've never seen anything like that. They must really not want you to DL.

[Bartman]

Surprisingly I've only been yelled at once for DLing there (I was making too much noise and disturbing the old ladies doing a dumbbell circuit). They also prohibit chalk, but I've never had an issue sneaking it in. I'll be much happier when I have the means to put a rack in my garage though.

[Bartman]

Wednesday, January 28th

Squat: 245x5, 245x4
Press: 145x5x3
Pull: 295x5

I suffered a bit of an injury tonight. During my second set of squats I felt a pop in my left hip flexor as I was coming up out of the hole. I racked the bar and I felt surprisingly little pain. Based on the way it felt when it popped I thought I had a serious injury on my hands. I didn't attempt my final set of squats, but I was able to press and deadlift without issue. The only time I felt a little pain was while walking the press out of the rack. I can feel a lot of tendernss when I jam my thumb into my hip flexor area but the pain is very minimal at the moment. I'm going to treat with ibuprofen, ice, and fish oil tonight, and hopefully I'll be able to lift my leg tomorrow and squat normally on Friday.