Ben's training log

[brkriete]

I wish I had a clever title but I don't.

I started Starting Strength at the end of April this year at age 35. My wife and I had twins in January and it was a rough winter in the Northeast. By March I'd gained a bunch of weight and just generally felt like shit from eating junk, sleeping like crap, and doing nothing active.

When I started the program I was about 270 lbs at 6'1" and I was a fatass, and not a strong one. I'm down to 253 as of this morning and aside from the weight loss I can tell from the mirror I've changed a lot of fat to muscle.

I started tracking my food on MyFitnessPal about a week ago and it's been helpful in keeping me from eating nutrient-free garbage and also in seeing how much more protein I should be eating.

Starting Strength is one of the best things I've ever done for myself and I'm beginning this log to help get feedback on pushing through plateaus, improving my nutrition, and reviewing my form.

I lift at 5 AM Tuesday and Thursday, 7 AM Sunday, so that lifting interferes with work and family life as little as possible. I usually jam through my workout as fast as possible but I'm getting to the point where I need to take a longer break between sets. I got a shoulder impingement in late 2014 doing a ton of demo, plastering, and painting, which my GP diagnosed in March. OHP seems to be helping heal that.

My first worksets looked like this in April:

Squat
95

Press
95 (way too heavy, I'm doing a ton of work with my knees and hips to get this up, have to back off after a couple weeks)

Deadlift
135

Bench
85

Clean
I don't even try, I just do another set of DLs for a month.

My last month's workouts look like this:

June 2
Squat 195 3x5
Press 75 3x5
DL 235 1x5

June 4
Squat 205 3x5
Bench 130 3x5
Clean 115 5x3

June 7
Squat 215 3x5
Press 80 3x5
DL 245 1x5

June 9
Squat 225 3x5 <-- pumped to get to two wheels a side
Bench 135 3x5 <-- 1 wheel a side - great feeling, starting at 85 in late April
Clean 135 3x5 <-- Finally figured out the jump on the clean. Ended up doing this as a bunch of shitty looking lopsided singles and doubles but got 15 reps

June 11
Squat 235 3x5 <-- I feel like I'm not getting deep enough but take a little video of myself and I'm getting parallel so feel OK with that
Press 85 3x5
Deadlift 255 1x5 <--grip is becoming limiting factor on deadlift, I switch to a mixed grip for work sets

June 14
Squat 245 3x5
Bench 140 3x5
Clean 135 3x5 <--Still getting my clean form figured out so don't want to add weight yet but it's feeling good

June 16
Squat 255 3x5
Press 90 3x5
Deadlift 265 1x5

June 18th
Squat 265 3x5
Bench 145 3x5 (last couple reps are sloooow).
Clean 135 3x5

June 21st - I tweak what feels like one of my spinal erectors doing yard work Saturday. Still manage to squat OK but it hinders my stability on Press and Bench this week.

Squat 275 3x5
Press 95 5,4,4 <--This is tough for me, just can't grind out those last reps.
Deadlift 275 1x5

June 23
Squat 285 3x5 <-- get my sets done but the last rep of the last two sets feels awful good-morningish. Excited to get to 315 though
Bench 150 5,4, 135x5 <--have to dump the bar on the 5th rep of my second set. Think it was partly because of my back being jacked up. Fortunately the gym is pretty empty at 5:30 AM so it's not too awkward. Do 5 reps at 135 to get three sets in. 135 feels EASY.
Cleans 135 5x3 <--these feel great, feel like decent form and I'm finally doing sets of 3 without having to reset or psych myself up between reps. Going to start adding weight next week.

June 25 - Had a good night's sleep and ate decently the day before but today just feels HARD. I back off on most of my weights for the first time since I started the program.

Squat 275 3x5 <-- I was going to do 3x275 for my last warmup set but got the bar on shoulders and said "there's no way I can add weight today" so ended up doing the 275s as my work sets

Press
95 5,4,3 <-- Struggle but just can't get those last reps in. Think I need to back off and start going up in 2 lb increments.

Deadlift
285 1x5 <--use chalk for the first time, still need to do a mixed grip on my work set, gets up OK.

[brkriete]

As you can see I am pretty stuck on my OHP. I think this could be due in part to the shoulder impingement which is still healing, although it doesn't hurt when I OHP (it hurts when I bench unless I retract my shoulders. So I retract my shoulders.)

Does it make sense to switch to doing a lighter weight (say 65 lbs) for higher reps for a couple weeks to get in some more volume? Or would it make more sense to back off to 85 lbs and start going up 2 lbs a workout instead of 5? I bought some 1/2 lb plates a few weeks ago that I can start bringing to the gym.

[peez]

Hi Ben,

welcome to the forum - you have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time - esp. on your squat!

If your shoulder is still healing, give it time. Search for something called the Starr Rehab Protocol for stuff like that. You'll need to be patient, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. Also, you may want to post form checks in the technique forum if you are unsure of your form on any lift.

[brkriete]

Photographed a wedding with my wife last Saturday, woke up with an attack of gout on Sunday, did not make it to the gym Sunday or Tuesday of this week. Pain finally starting to subside with HEAVY use of anti-inflammatories and I'm on meds (this happens every couple years, I go on meds for a month or two and it clears up for a while....I'm hoping that with some body recomp I'll fix this more or less permanently) so I lifted this morning. Good news is my back tweak seems to be 100% cleared up.

I've been doing a ton of walking aside from lifting (I usually take the twins out for an hour walk every night and 1-2 hours on the weekends...pushing 40 lbs of six month old plus a stroller isn't quite like pushing a prowler but it's a decent workout on the hills) but haven't this week because it hurts to walk. I definitely felt a little more winded during my squat sets than I usually do.

Squat 285 3x5 Last set felt better than the first two I think because I went down a little faster and had more bounce at the bottom. Having a big toe that is in great pain and completely inflexible is a good reminder to stay back on your heels. I'm really stoked to make it to 315 although I think I might have to start making 5 lb jumps instead of 10s soon. Still 60 lbs a month, if I can keep that up for a while I'll be exceeding the (shitty, 1/4 depth) 405 I maxed out at in college in short order.

Bench 135 3x5 Was going to do 135 as my final warm up set but my shoulder didn't feel good. Stuck with 135 and glad I did, shoulder was really bad after my workout. Getting a little less painful two hours later.

Clean 135 3x5 Planned to add weight this workout but decided to keep it at 135 after missing two workouts. Felt really good and I'm excited to start adding weight to this exercise after a couple weeks at 135. I think this is my favorite lift right now although I'm definitely not an explosive guy.

My next workout will be Sunday morning and I'm hopeful the gout flare up is 100% gone by then. I'm going to do my regular squats and DL but try doing a bunch of reps of light weight on my press and see if a couple light weeks on OHP and BP improve my shoulder (something like the Starr rehab, as you suggested peez). It's definitely not a muscle belly tear but I'm thinking working on range of motion and getting some blood flow and volume going might help.

[brkriete]

Sunday's workout:

Still a little gouty but went to the gym anyway.

Squat 295 3x5 felt great, last set stronger than the first. Tried to rack a little early and tweaked my lower back, stiff all day but getting better today. I really want to get to 315 Thursday.

Press 45 1x25, 1x15,8,7 trying to fix up my shoulder. Couldn't do 3x25 so did as much as I could. Going to try to get to 2x25 with decent form and no rests and then see about adding weight. Will do the same with my bench on Tuesday and see how far I can go.


Deadlift 295 1x5 back a little funny from my bad squat rack but pulled it off anyway.

[carson]

I'm not a Doctor and I've never experienced it. It does seem terribly painful from what you and others have described. I've always heard that it is exacerbated by a too rich diet. I don't know what that means but your weight gain may have something to do with it. Here's a link that you've doubtless seen. Natural Gout Supplement Reviews of 2015 | Natural Gout Treatment

It's just that I'm amazed that you have made such good progress despite this painful disease. Keep up the good work.

[brkriete]

It can be exacerbated by a diet rich in certain foods (shellfish seems to trigger it for me; organ meat is also supposed to be bad but I've never eaten much). In my case I think it's mostly hereditary. My grandmother had it (very uncommon in women), as does my uncle. Unfortunately severe attacks don't tend to be triggered so much by weight gain as by weight loss (I think it has to do with the kidneys being unable to excrete the byproducts including uric acid created by burning off extra weight but that's just my opinion) so many previous attempts at getting in shape have come to a halt because of this. I've tried many natural cures - celery seed tea, cherries, etc with no effect. Fish oil seems to help as does staying extremely well hydrated. I take colchicine for acute attacks (the gastrointestinal side effects are no fun) and I'm starting on allopurinol again which helps to excrete the uric acid causing the gout and is a longer-term fix. The attack I had recently is not the absolute worst I've ever had, but it can be absurdly, hilariously painful, to the point where a few times in the past if someone had handed me a chisel and a mallet I absolutely would have whacked off my big toe to stop the pain. I'm hopeful that dropping weight and adding muscle and being generally fitter will help me avoid this going forwards without medication.

Had an absolute garbage night's sleep (the idea of squatting over 300 was psyching me out a little, plus both my sons woke up at 3 AM and needed bottles and changing). Wicked DOMS from Sunday's workout for some reason as well but managed to drag myself out to my car and drove to the gym. Walked in at 5 AM this morning to find that someone had used a t-shirt to tie the pussy pad to the bar in the squat rack.....WTF? The last thing the squat bar needs is a big knot right in the middle.

Squat 305 3x5 last squats of last two sets were a little high and goodmorning-y but I'm still feeling good about this. Right elbow and shoulder were a little sore and this carried over for the rest of my workout. I've been doing high-bar squats for my work sets just because limited flexibility and strength in my right shoulder keep me from doing a proper low-bar squat but I'm trying to get the bar lower and lower and this is puts some stress on my shoulder.

Benched 45 3x25 (wow this left my right tricep in rough shape but I really want to fix my shoulder issues and if volume is the answer I'll give it a shot)

Clean 140 5x3 (finally adding weight here - 135 has come up SO EASY the last couple times it was surprising how much noticeably harder 140 was). I missed and repeated a rep on my second to last set and overall took a definite step back in form but managed to complete 5x3). Right shoulder bothering me a little.

Left the gym and my right shoulder / arm were so sore and weak I had trouble reaching out to start my car. Feeling much better after a couple hours. Good news is the DOMS in my legs and tweaked back are TOTALLY GONE (at least for now). Squatting is the answer to all my problems. Except maybe "How do I fit my ass in these khakis?"

[carson]

It's challenging to be a good Dad but you seem to be mastering it. A 305 squat is to be commended. Your adventure is quite inspiring, but please, don't chop off your big toe. Keep up the good work.

[brkriete]

Rough start to the day. My sleep and recovery haven't been great due to a lot of stressful stuff going on in personal life and at work and my health (when it rains it pours although my toe is mostly better and I've been able to get out and go for a walk the last couple days). Still got up and went to the gym because it's what I do.

Got there and some dude was doing upper body stuff in the power rack I like (the other one is a brand new one with badly organized bumper plates....I haven't ever lifted in it). I did my 5 minutes on the treadmill to warm up a little then ambled over and asked how many sets he had left.

"A bunch"

"Oh, OK, I prefer that rack but I guess I can use this one"

"You're OK buddy (aggressive tone), I'll be done in 5 minutes" <--really?

He did two more sets of upright rows (with straps!?) while I did my warmup squats with 45 lb and 55 lb (because I couldn't find two more 45s....) plates then wandered off so I used my preferred rack for my work sets after doing a couple more warmups at 135 and 225.

I go at 5 AM at least partly so I don't have to deal with other people and the ONE other time someone was using the power rack for squats he was totally happy to let me work in and we had a nice chat so I was kind of surprised this guy was a dick. Maybe he didn't like my pink t-shirt.

This morning's lifts:

Squat 315 1x5, x3, backoff sets of 225 1x5 (felt almost as heavy as 315....I was gassed), 135 1x5

I think 315 was a pretty aggressive target given how I was feeling but I really wanted those three plates. I'm going to do it again on Sunday and see if I can get my full sets across with decent form then maybe start with 5 lb jumps.

Press 45 1x25, 1x20, 1x10 - Definitely feeling a little better than last time. Feel this in my triceps as much or more than my shoulder. Arms in general feeling less destroyed than last week so maybe this is working. Next Tuesday I will do a full 2x25

Deadlift 225 2x5 - I forgot my chalk and just didn't have it in me to do my programmed 10 lb jump to 305 after being so gassed on squats. 2x5 felt hard enough.

So - not the kind of morning where I achieved everything I hoped but I'm glad I showed up anyway.

[TheMageling]

Sounds like a rough day. Hitting PRs is great but showing up after a session like this is probably way harder. Your numbers look great though, keep up the good work!