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Thread: Platypus' novice log - Journey to 70's big

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ketchikan, Alaska
    Posts
    96

    Default Platypus' novice log - Journey to 70's big

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    Recently I had a wake-up call of sorts, realizing I’ve spent 5 years in the gym consistently, with very little to show for it. That’s about to change. Like many others, I did starting strength in high school and have been screwing around ever since.

    My lifetime PRs:
    Squat – 300x5, 325x1
    Bench – 190x5, 305x1
    Deadlift – 340x5, 415x1
    Press – 125x5, 145x1
    Power clean – 155x3
    Chinups – 45x1, bodyweight x17
    All of these were done at a bodyweight of 205-ish, except the chins. I weighed 155-165 for those.

    I’ll beat all of this within the next two months. My goals are pretty much the usual: win powerlifting meets, have hordes of beautiful women throw themselves at me due to my incredible physique, and press 225 overhead for reps. I have to keep my neck size up and my waste size down because I’m indentured to Uncle Sam and failing the tape test is a one-way ticket back to civilian life. I fixed up my diet this week to include lots of protein and no junk except on Sundays. I will spend time every day looking at photos of 70s powerlifters to remind myself why I exist.

    My body, as it is right now:*
    195lbs, 5’10”, 20 years old
    Neck 16”
    Chest 40.5”
    Arms 15”
    Waist 36”
    Thighs 25”
    Calves 16”left, 15.25”right

    *Soon to be massively larger

    Workouts will be posted starting tomorrow.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    560

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    Welcome! Similar numbers to where I started, I'm excited to see you progress!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ketchikan, Alaska
    Posts
    96

    Default

    2/16/2017

    Squat
    45x5x2
    95x5
    135x5
    185x5
    205x5x3

    Bench
    45x5x2
    65x5
    95x5
    115x5x3

    Deadlift
    135x5x2
    225x5
    245x5

    Chins
    bw x6
    bw x5
    bw x4

    Started a bit lighter than I could have on everything. Except the chins, those were to failure. Unfortunately, I am no longer a seven chinup kind of guy. This will change.

    I'm having to learn to set the deadlifts down slowly, which I'm not at all used to. This is hopefully a temporary situation.

    Some fat guy took a break from his rows to come let me know I needed to look up when I squat. IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SET. No manners. I ignored him and continued as normal. When I finished, he explained that I must stare at the ceiling or eventually I will "come too far forward." I thanked him for the advice, then continued to keep my head in normal anatomical position for the remainder of my sets. He seemed a little peeved by this.

    I thought the bright blue wife beater I was wearing would prevent anyone from approaching me, but clearly not. If it happens again, I'll invest in some large headphones. Or wear my wrestling singlet...


    Quote Originally Posted by BradBv View Post
    Welcome! Similar numbers to where I started, I'm excited to see you progress!
    Thanks Brad, I'm pretty excited too.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    48

    Default

    Keep up the good work

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    The Refinery State
    Posts
    2,307

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    Not a bad start for an egg-laying mammal.

    Quote Originally Posted by platypus View Post
    Or wear my wrestling singlet...
    Which may get you un(?)-wanted attention of another kind - from either gender. Hmmm ...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ketchikan, Alaska
    Posts
    96

    Default

    2/19/2017

    Squat
    45x5x2
    95x5
    135x5
    185x5
    215x5x3

    Press
    45x5x2
    65x5
    85x5
    95x5x3

    Power clean
    45x3x2
    65x3
    95x3
    115x3x5

    Neck extension
    10x25x4

    I'm convinced the neck harness will be the key to passing the tape test. At 5'10", my waist can't be more than 23" larger than my neck. If I can get my yoke to 20" or so, this will never become a problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by peez View Post
    Which may get you un(?)-wanted attention of another kind - from either gender. Hmmm ...
    Haha, probably not female attention. Not in a singlet. I'll save it for a PL meet.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ketchikan, Alaska
    Posts
    96

    Default

    2/21/2017

    Squat
    45x5x2
    95x5
    135x4
    185x2
    225x5x3

    Bench
    45x5x2
    65x5
    95x4
    115x2
    125x5x3

    Deadlift
    135x5x2
    225x5
    245x5

    Chins
    10x5x2
    10x4


    Neck extension
    15x25x4

    I thought I deadlifted 235 last time, hence the rather embarrassing repeated weight. I'm starting a notebook so this won't happen again.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Not Egypt
    Posts
    771

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by platypus View Post

    I'm convinced the neck harness will be the key to passing the tape test. At 5'10", my waist can't be more than 23" larger than my neck. If I can get my yoke to 20" or so, this will never become a problem.
    I started using a neck harness to deal with neck and upper trap pain I was getting after deadlifting. Programming was 4 sets of 30-50 reps, upping weight by 2.5lbs when I could do 4 sets of 50. Going from 15lb to 25lb on the neck harness took my neck from 14.75" to 15.75". I'm sure you would see good results if you got into the 35-45lb range for sets of 30-50 reps.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ketchikan, Alaska
    Posts
    96

    Default

    2/23/16

    Squat
    45x5x2
    95x5
    135x4
    205x2
    235x5x3

    Press
    45x5x2
    65x5
    85x2
    100x5x3

    Power clean
    45x3x2
    65x3
    95x3
    115x1
    135x3x5

    Neck extension
    17.5x25x3
    17.5x21



    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron Montgomery View Post
    I started using a neck harness to deal with neck and upper trap pain I was getting after deadlifting. Programming was 4 sets of 30-50 reps, upping weight by 2.5lbs when I could do 4 sets of 50. Going from 15lb to 25lb on the neck harness took my neck from 14.75" to 15.75". I'm sure you would see good results if you got into the 35-45lb range for sets of 30-50 reps.
    Glad to hear you had good results with it. Any advice for keeping the harness from slipping during the set, short of chalking my head? I'm having to adjust it during the middle of my sets sometimes. It's a quality harness so I'm fairly certain the problem is on my end.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Not Egypt
    Posts
    771

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    starting strength coach development program
    I made my own using chains, pipe insulation, rope and duct tape, so I'm not sure how to use a "real" neck harness. If it's too big, wear a beanie to make it more snug. If it's too small, it's going to slip around.

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