Stephens Training Log

[Chris Stephens]

Measurements: As of today 2/21/17 - Weight: 185 lbs, Height 6 ft, Age 44
Frame: Skinny
Goals: Like most people, to lift a little more than last time. But of course that’s tough to do in practice.
Best lifts: Squat 340 lbs, Deadlift 385 lbs (Summer 2015), Bench 255 lbs (Summer 2016)
Gym: I use a Rogue rack in my basement, RML 490. Custom platform.
Program: Basic, slightly modified Starting Strength, 3 days per week

Day 1:
Squats 3x5
Press 3x5

Day 2:
Bench 3x5
Dips

Day 3:
Squats 3x5
Deadlifts 1x5
Pull ups / Curls

I’ve tried a few different programs including Texas Method, which I really liked, and 5x5 Squats (every session), but I feel like I can recover a little better by keeping squats to 3x5 and just twice a week. I’ll run this until I get a tweak in my back or until I keep getting stapled. Then I’ll take a break for a couple of weeks. And then repeat.

I’ve been logging in my notebook for the last year or so, but will start keeping my log again here as well.

[Chris Stephens]

2/15

Squats:
2x5 45 lbs
1x5 90
1x5 135
1x5 175
3x5 225

Press
1x5 45 lbs
1x5 65
1x5 90
2x5 100

Recovering from slight shoulder/biceps tweak caused by my dog, an Akita, suddenly yanking the leash when I wasn't paying attention.

[Chris Stephens]

2/17

Bench:
2x5 45 lbs
1x5 90
1x5 135
1x5 155
3x5 182

Dips:
1x6
1x6 + 22 lbs

[Chris Stephens]

2/19

Squats:
2x5 45 lbs
1x5 90
1x5 135
1x5 155
1x5 200
3x5 230

Deadlifts:
1x5 155 lbs
1x5 200
1x5 242
1x5 275

Curls:
1x8 45 lbs
1x8 55
1x8 60

Pull ups:
1x3

Right biceps getting better but still feels a bit tweaked. Could do more pull ups for sure but didn't want to risk it.

[Chris Stephens]

2/22

Squats:
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 88
1x5 132
1x5 187
3x5 237

Press
1x5 44 lbs
1x5 66
1x5 88
2x5 105

[Chris Stephens]

2/24

Bench:
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 88
1x5 121
1x5 155
3x5 187

Dips:
1x6
1x6 + 11 lbs
1x6 + 25 lbs

[Chris Stephens]

3/1

Squats:
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 88
1x5 132
1x5 165
1x5 198
2x5 242

Felt left knee slightly tweak during the reps of my 4th and 5th warm up sets. Hyper extended left knee just a bit during the walkout of the 4th set, but not bad enough to quit. After completing my second main set of 242 I felt the sciatic nerve on the left side go off. I unracked the bar and called it a day.

Follow up: could not walk or stand or sit over Thursday and Friday.

[Chris Stephens]

3/6

Bench:
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 88
1x5 110
1x5 132
2x5 155
1x5 176
1x5 193

Dips
2x6

Back is getting better. I would say still at about 80%, but good enough to do some benching.

[Chris Stephens]

3/8

Deadlifts
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 88
1x5 110
1x5 132
1x5 154
1x5 176
1x5 198

Curls
2x5 44 lbs
1x5 55

Pullups:
1x3
1x5

Was tentative to go heavy on deadlifts since I'm just one week out from tweaking my back. Overall felt pretty light and easy, no back pain.