Don's SS Log

[sgtpusmc]

Age 48
Height 6'2"
Weight 270

No previous weight training experience. Any weightlifting done previously was haphazard at best.

All entries assume five reps and three sets across except DL which is one set of five:

9/9/14
S 105
P 55
DL 115

9/12/14 Very sore, but forced myself to do the workout.
S 115
BP 95
DL 135

9/15/14 Still sore
S 125
P 75
DL 185

9/17/14
S 135
BP 115
DL 225

9/19/14
S 140
P 85
DL 245

9/22/14
S 145
BP 125
DL 250

9/24/14
S 150
P 95
DL 255

9/26/14
S 155
BP 135
PC 135

9/29/14
S 160
P 100
DL 260

10/1/14
S 165
BP 140
PC 140

10/4/14
S 170
P 105
DL 265

10/8/14
S 175
BP 145
PC 95 Reset for technique

10/10/14
S 180
P 110
DL 270

10/13/14
S 185
BP 150
PC 100

10/15/14
S 190
P 115
DL 275

10/18/14
S 195
BP 155
PC 105

10/20/14
S 200
P 120
DL 280

10/22/14
S 205
BP 160
PC 110

10/27/14
S 210 Widened stance after seeing video
P 105x5x5 volume (begin Texas method for presses)
DL 285 Grip strength becoming a challenge

10/29/14
S 215 Soreness in hamstrings with wider stance kept wider but having difficulty getting depth.
BP 140x3x3
PC 115x3x3

11/1/14
S 220
P 125x2x1
DL 290

11/3/14
S 225
BP 140x5x5
No PC due to shoulder pain in warm up sets

11/5/14
S 230
P 100x3x3
DL 295

11/10/14
S 235
BP 145x5x5
Chin up -115x3x3

11/12/14
S 240
P 105X3X3
DL 300

11/14/14
S 245
BP 170X3X1

11/17/14
S 250
P 110X5X5
DL 305

11/20/14
S 255 Widen stance about 2"
BP 155X5X3
CU -115x3x3

11/22/14
S 260
P 110X5X5
DL 310

11/24/14
S 265
BP 160X5X3
CU -115x5x3

11/26/14
S 270
P 115X5X3
DL 315

12/1/14
S 225 Knee pain

12/5/14
S 275
P 115x5x5
CU -90x5x5

12/8/14
S 225x5x5
P 115x5x5
CU -90x5x5

12/10/14
S 275x3x1 Knee pain and strained lower back (bad form out of the hole)

1/5/15 Reset from vacation and injury. Using wider stance
S 225
P 90
CU -115x3x3

1/9/15
S 230
P 95
CU -115x5x3

1/12/15
S 235
BP 135
DL 245

1/14/15
S 240
P 100
CU -90x5x3

1/19/15
S 245
BP 140
DL 250

1/21/15
S 250
P 105
PC 95x3x4

1/23/15
S 255
BP 145
DL 260

1/28/15
S 260
P 110
PC 135x3x4

1/31/15
S 265
BP 150
CU -90x5x3

2/2/15
S 270
P 115
PC 140x3x3

2/4/15
S 275
BP 155
DL 275

2/9/15 Begin Texas method volume
S 225x5x5
P 90x5x5
CU -115x5x4

2/11/15
S 205
BP 135
DL 280

2/14/15
S 300x3x1
P 125x3x1
CU -90x5x5

2/16/15 Volume
S 265x5x5
BP 150x5x5

2/18/15 Light
S 245x5x3
P 90x5x3

2/21/14
S 310x5x1
BP 160x5x1

2/23/15 Volume
S 270x5x2 Back strain lower left!!!

2/25/15
S 225x5x3
P 95x5x3

3/23/15
S 185x5x3 Back still hurts

3/27/15
S 225x5x3
P 95x5x3

3/30/15
S 230x5x3
BP 135x5x3

Not feeling well back still hurting and discouraged

4/6/15
S 185x5x3
P 95x5x3
DL 185

After looking at video decide to reset for rehab and to work on form. I was losing form at bottom of squats and that's where I was getting hurt.

4/13/15
S 135 Surprised at how difficult this felt...but form looked better
P 85

4/15/15
S 155 Warm up felt great and decided to jump 20lbs concentrating on form
BP 135

4/18/15
S 175 Still feeling good
P 90

4/20/15
S 195
BP 140

4/22/15
S 200
P 95

4/25/15
S 205
BP 145

4/27/15
S 210
P 100

After listening to Mike Matthews interview with Ripp switching to 2 work sets to reduce fatigue and to be able to recover between workouts.

4/29/15
S 215
BP 150

5/2/15
S 225
P 105
DL 275

5/4/15
S 230
BP 155

5/6/15
S 235
P 110

5/8/15
S 240
BP 160

Feeling good right now and video shows my form has improved significantly. When I started I had a really narrow stance for squats because my hips were not flexible enough for me to get below parallel with a wider stance. The narrow stance lead to knee pain. As I opened up my stance the knee pain went away and I noticed that squatting employed more of my posterior chain. It just felt stronger too. With patience and work I'm able to get to below parallel with my heels about shoulder width apart. I hope to continue the linear progression for a few more weeks to about 280 - 300 and then start the Texas method after that.

Doing two work sets seems to really help my recovery between workouts. It was either that or move to two workouts a week.

I've only dropped about 7-8 lbs but I haven't been focusing on weight loss but rather on getting stronger. Since the beginning of the year I increased protein intake significantly and am trying to reduce carbs.

[sgtpusmc]

Steady progress.

When I hit 285 for squats I switched to the Texas Method. Focusing on good form and technique I've managed to work up to 320x5 last Friday for intensity.

Hoping to get into the 400s by the end of the year.