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Thread: Yet another semi=geezer Starting Strength, direct from China

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    23

    Default Yet another semi=geezer Starting Strength, direct from China

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    56 years old (for another 11 days)
    80 kg weight (176 lbs)
    182 cm tall (6')

    I've been doing cycling and body weight conditioning for the past 8 months and recently some dumbell work along with it from my current home here in Haikou, China. In the past 16 months my weight has gone from 94 kg down to 79 kg. This is mostly due a pre-diabetes diagnosis, and just being sick of being fat. The original goal was to get to 75kg, but after discovering Starting Strength, I'm now changing the goal from being close to my original eduro-ectomorphic self into a much stronger and thus heavier person. Given a decently low body fat percentage (and hopefully therefore a low Hemoglobin A1c number) I have no problem weighing 200 lbs again. I'll never be a Powerlifter as I'm one of those gluttons for punishment that loves cycling for hours on end. But I also am tired of being scrawny. I just paid for a local 6 month gym membership, and am looking for a gym back home for the Spring Festival and for when I return to the USA in July.

    Workout 1 12/31/16 (Using the Str app)

    Squat 45kg 3x5
    Bench 45kg 3x5
    Deadlift 80kg 1x5

    Squats and Deadlift were worked into, 5 kgs at a time, starting with a bare bar until I felt that I was doing actual work. My bench is deliberately low, as I'd previously been "floor pressing" with a narrow grip width. After re-reading and watching the video I know know my grip was wrong, but it's not an instantaneous journey.


    Workout 2 1/2/17

    Squat 50 kg 3x5
    Press 35 kg 3x5
    Chin 3x3 bodyweight

    Yeah, I know chin-ups aren't in the novice program, but it's been freaking years since I did ANY pullups/chinups, and I really want to be back near where I was when I was a climber. I'll also need to find something to do instead of Cleans. I'm either not flexible enough, or my forearms are too long, as with the bar at my fingertips, wrists bent as much as they'll go (slightly less than 90 degree bend), the bar is up against my neck, not on my shoulders, and my humerus is nowhere near parallel to the ground. At any rate, if I go to the power snatch, I'll want coaching. Which I'll look for when I get to the USA anyway, around the 22nd of the month.

    The gym does not even have 1.25 kg plates, so I've ordered my own. The plan is to go up by 2.5 kg at a time for everything as soon as they arrive, hopefully in the next couple of days.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Walled Lake, Michigan
    Posts
    6,681

    Default

    Welcome. You seem to have a solid plan. Do you have the books. If not, you should get them. You are wise to hold off on the oly lifts until you can get together with a certified SS coach back in the states. Cycling is fine but don't let it overwhelm your strength training during the Linear Progression.

    I will look in on your logs in the future.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    23

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    Well, off script already. No 1.25 plates as yet, and as I just felt exhausted all day, and didn't think I had 50kg bench in me today, I repeated 45kg. Should have done the 50. Next Monday for sure I will.

    Secondly, though I was concentrating on form, my mind was kind of elsewhere during the deadlift. When I went to record the second working set, my last still functioning neuron fired off...


    1/4/17

    Squat 55kg 3x5
    Bench 45kg 3x5
    Deadlift 85kg 2x5

    I'm still tight in my upper back and shoulders getting the bar in place during the squats, and probably not getting low enough either. Again due to flexibility issues. Probably right at parallel from the videos I had my son take about a week ago. I am making a conscious effort to keep my knees out and eyes on the wall approximating looking at the floor about 5-6 feet in front of me.

    First set of deadlifts felt good. Second set was work on reps 4 and 5. Held the breath during the entire first set, but didn't really care for it. Topped off after rep 3 during accidental second set. Much better.

    I have both books, and have finished reading SS. Kindle says I'm 28% of the way through PPST. I am also watching the videos Mark did for The Art of Manliness. As many before me have said, I pick up on something new each time I reread a section or re-watch a video.

    The gym offers a free body fat test. The electrical resistance type, so take that with my weekly sodium allowance. This evening I tested out at 19.5%, a little more than I had hoped, but within a couple points. I drink a lot of clear fluids, yet this thing had me at only 53% water. I'm peeing clear all day long, so don't know what more I can do, other than cut out the morning coffee. Not going to happen.

    Looking forward to full plates on squats on Friday.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    23

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    1/6/17

    Squat 60 kg 3*5
    Press 37.5 kg 2,2,3
    Chin 3,3,2

    Really feeling overall fatigued the past two days. Bad headache on the 5th, though was drinking water like a fish. Eventually had to take a Vitamin I, solving the issue immediately.

    My press sucked today. There is something going on with my left side, making the proper hands just outside the shoulders grip width extremely painful. Had to use a closer grip, and still was bringing the weakness. And I've done more fairly recently too.

    Good news is that I am now on the correct MWF schedule, so two days off.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    23

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    1/11/17

    Should have been on the 9th, but work changed schedules on Monday, making it a no-go. I literally fell asleep in my chair last night after a small pre-dinner, intending to go to the gym. Still felt really crappy today, but made myself go.

    On the same weight schedule as should have been on Monday.

    Squat 65 kg 3x5
    Bench Press 50kg 3x5
    Deadlift 90kg 1x5

    My upper back/shoulders just absolutely hate squats. Going to re-watch, re-read to see if it's my body, or my technique. Even odds either way I think.
    Also looked at sources for micro plates, so as things slow down, I can add a kilo at a time, not 2.5.

    Also have been reading PPST, and got to the point of actually reading about programming. Now see that I can forget the clean for a while, and substitute deadlifts every workout. Will do so until leaving here on the 17th. Found an SSC in Roseville, and am reaching out to him for coaching while back in NorCal.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    1/14/17

    Weight 82 kg

    Going to a one day in 3 schedule, after more reading/listening. Also think I'm going to give up on the press for a while - my left side just hates it. Tried to do the scheduled 37.5 kg and gave up after grinding out 2 reps. Bar speed was just absolute minimum. Dropped to 32.5kg and did 3x5 just to get some stress. But my body just isn't happy with the movement. So no press for me for a while. Just going to bench every workout.

    Good(ish) news is that in reading PPST, it's suggested to do deadlifts each workout while beginning, until starting the power clean. Since I seem to be doing well deadlifting, I'll do that for a couple more weeks. I've also decided to drop to 2.5 kg increases on all lifts, with bench going to 1.5 kg increases very soon. Micro plates are ordered, and will be waiting at home in the USA for me. So, going forward, I think I'll be doing squat/bench/deadlift every three days until my body indicates otherwise. The interview Mark did with Mike Matthews on gains in your 40s and beyond was a bit of a bummer. Seem's I'm too late to the party for decent gains.

    Squat 67.5kg 3x5
    Press 32.5kg 3x5
    Deadlift 92.5kg 1x5

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    What with flights home to the USA absolutely killing my energy, getting some coaching, traveling around the state then flying back to China, it's been a bad month for consistency. I did get workouts in on 1/31, 2/4 and 2/7. Squat, press and bench technique needed significant adjustment and deloading due to missed workouts. I have however, progressed in deadlift.

    Coach recommended real stretching in order to reduce pain in shoulders while squatting. After doing this before the last four workouts, I can report that it's helping.
    Today's workout:

    Squat 65 kg 3x5
    Press 31.5 kg 3x5
    Deadlift 105kg 1x5

    My squat was too "forward". Now keeping knees behind toes, as well as keeping knees even further apart. Adductors and hamstrings really feel the new form.

    With shoulder warmup, I can now keep grip narrower during press. Also keeping elbows tight to torso. Bar is going up easier.

    As recommended by coach, on bench days, I'm now doing some close grip bench press as accessory lifting in order to work triceps more. The object being to improve standing press.
    Last edited by KuiLei; 02-13-2017 at 10:16 AM.

  8. #8
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    Dec 2016
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    2/16/17

    Weight 84 kg

    Squat 67.5 3x5
    Bench 50 kg 3x5
    Deadlift 107.5 kg 1x5
    Close grip bench 45 kg 3x5
    Chin-ups 3,2,2

    Am now wondering about grip strength during deadlift, everything else feels under control.
    Glad to have bench back where it was, PRs from now on.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    23

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    Major winge blah blah blah. Decided that keeping it for posterity was unnecessary.

    TL;DR version:

    I was pissed. Angry me is stupid in different ways, but lifts harder.

    Weight, still around 84 kg

    Squat 75kg 3x5
    Press 33kg 3x5
    Deadlift 115kg 1x5
    Chinups 5,3,2

    Squat was no issue. Just concentrate on moving my butt upwards
    Form on last two deadlift reps felt iffy at the top. Grip felt similarly iffy to last workout.
    Press felt hesitant during first rep of second set, but then getting pissed at it sent every other rep up easily. I think tricep accessory lifting may be helping.
    Something going on with lower back since previous workout. A bit of a twinge is all. Sensation more than pain.
    Happy with 5 reps for first set of chinups. Looking forward to 3x5 for them, so I can start adding weight

    GO BACK TO STANDARD PROGRESSION ON THURSDAY!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    23

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    starting strength coach development program
    2/23/17
    Squat 77.5 3*5
    Bench 52.5 3*5


    2/27/17
    Squat 80 3*5
    Press 34 3*5
    Deadlift 120 1*4

    Workout on the 23rd was uneventful, other than time constrained.

    Workout on 27th all good, other than one rep on Squats where I let my butt come up too fast, not keeping back rigid. Also, grip felt right at failure on 5th pull, about 90 percent complete. Let weights down. Need to fix that for next workout.



    3/2/17
    Squat 82.5 3*5
    Bench 55 5,3,4
    Chins 5,4,3

    Gambled and tried for 2.5 kg jump in bench. Get it next time.

    Still have thingy back sensation after squats. Not an issue in the days afterwards though.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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