Reply With QuoteDo not vary from the Starting Strength Linear Progression guidelines until you reach your LP limit. The SS model is the gold starting for strength development and safety. Just do it.
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inappropriateDaves training dump
3am, 1st November 2016. I wake up and think "hmmmmm, that hurts", at 3:05am I am online making an appointment with my GP and by 9:30 I am referred to a physio.
Turns out that I damaged the connective tissue in my back & shoulder and that is why it now hurt walking.
Physio: "I treat two types of people, the type who won't go to the gym even if you paid them, and those that go to the gym regardless of their injuries. I'm guessing you're the latter"
Me: "Pretty much"
P: "you can go to the gym, but just do about 40% of your current work load"
M: "so just more reps?"
P: "no. Also avoid upper body exercise for now"
M: "so squats and stuff are ok?"
P: "so long as you don't put any weight on it"
M: "so what about [insert exercise]"
P: "no" (repeat)
Fast forward to end of January, lots of DDP yoga and cycling on a sit down bike over christmas, but not enough to burn off the ridiculous calorie excess, and I am finally given the ok to go back to lifting weights.
Hit the 5x5 workout for a few weeks because I'd paid for the app and seemed like a good way to get back into strength training. Oh my had I been gone a while. Even at less than half my previous lifts I was seriously struggling, but I pushed through and started getting back up to where I had been. I then hit a new problem, time. Initially 5x5 is fine for a quick 45 minutes before work, but as the warm ups start getting longer and the rest periods increase, I was finding it harder to fit everything in on a session.
Enter Starting Strength. Bought the app and have done three workouts since and couldn't be happier. Workouts are taking less time, and I feel more confident taking on more weight by doing 3 sets instead of 5. I'm also not now the a-hole down at the gym hogging a squat rack for 30 minutes.
Anyway, progression (all kg):
Male, 37, 97kg, 25% bf
Feb 21
Squat 72.5
Bench 65
Deadlift 95
Feb 23
Squat 75
OHP 47.5 (matched previous PB)
Deadlift 100
Feb 25
Squat 77.5
Bench 67.5
Deadlift 105
Tuesday I will be attempting a 50kg OHP which will be a new PB for me, curious to see how far I can go...
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Do not vary from the Starting Strength Linear Progression guidelines until you reach your LP limit. The SS model is the gold starting for strength development and safety. Just do it.
Member
2 days of rest, and it's PB attempt day. Due to being a commercial gym, I ended up buying my own chalk and used it for the first time. That stuff gets everywhere...
anyway...
Squat: 80kg 3x5 - done, no issues, belt used on the work sets
OHP: 50kg 3x5 - done, bit wobbly on the second set but tightened up on final set. Belt used on work sets but felt like I didn't really need it. New PB
Deadlift: 110kg 1x5 - done, belt on work set, 3.75kg off PB, so next week I should be hitting that.
Worth noting I don't really have a squat or bench PB as such. Most I've ever "squatted" was 107.5kg, but squat is a very loose word for what I did, more "I bent my knees slightly while my spine collapsed with 107.5kg digging into my neck" and my "bench" was 97.5kg which again was more "I bent my elbows slightly whilst trying not to smash my teeth out with a metal bar".
Anyway, back to the work out, finished up with some bicep curls (40kg 2x8) and some tricep extensions on the cable machine (30kg 2x8). Pretty certain the cable machines are wired up differently across the gym as last week I did 40kg 2x8 on the adjustable pully with no issue, but on the fixed pully I could only just move it. Need to keep that in mind when looking at progress on that. I know from experience that 42.5kg for bicep curls is my kryptonite, so I think I'll be "that guy" at the gym that not only brings his own belt, chalk, massage stick and massage ball, but also his own fractional weights...
Still at 97kg, diets been high protein while sticking at about 1,900 calories (roughly 220g protein) so looking forward to the next body fat analysis to see if I've managed to convert fat to muscle
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Given your self doubts and bad advice I hope you find our certified SS coach in London. If not go online and get coaching from a certified Starting Strength coach before you really hurt yourself.
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I wouldnt worry about variation in your icep curl to be honestJust get some bloodflow!
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Just some extra background as I left some things out. Previous poor form was about 4 years ago, since then I've had 1:1 coaching in the correct way to do squats etc, but went more for reps than weight; hence the lack of real PB's. If I was trying to lift then what I was now I'd be in a wheelchairOriginally Posted by carson
Was pretty comfortable with this mornings session all told, felt like I could go heavier, but I'm sticking with the program as I'm not in a hurry
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In other words...you'll be the guy taking his training seriously and getting stronger as a result! All of us on this site (who don't have home gyms) are "that guy".so I think I'll be "that guy" at the gym that not only brings his own belt, chalk, massage stick and massage ball, but also his own fractional weights...
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Still progressing...
2nd March:
Squat 82.5kg - done, no issues
Bench 70kg - done, no issues
Power Clean 20kg - hmmm, trickier than they look. Took the typical "how hard can they be" stance and proceeded to smash the bar into my knee on my first attempt, then nearly lost a few teeth on the next attempt. A bit of light reading later I managed to get the timing right, so next time I'll progress onto putting some weight on the bar
Weekend trip to the states put the kibosh on Saturdays session, so back today for...
Squat 85kg - done, no issues
OHP 52.5kg - 2x5 & 1x3 - Failure... I knew it would come eventually. Rested 3 minutes and bashed out the remaining two, but will reattempt on Saturday
Deadlift 115kg - done, no issues new PB. Was quite pleased with how I managed the weight and again felt like I could add at least another 5-10kg before I start to struggle (will find out on Saturday I guess)
Guy at work recommended HMB, so adding that to my protein shakes. Not the greatest taste, but I got a three month supply so guess I'm going to have to get used to it.
Got a holiday in Orlando in just over three weeks, would be nice to hit the 100kg squat before then
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Check out Gold's Gym in Orlando. They have only one platform for Deads but not too many do it. They have a few racks. Some guys know what they are doing, but most do not. Still, they have some free weights which is better than most places.
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Thanks for the recommendation, will take my kit along just in case, but I think my other half has plans...
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