Weaker than I look or look stronger than I am?

[cfreetenor]

I've been running a log on the general logs since June or so, and I've made some progress. Over the past two months I've been doing my best to adhere to the SSLP programming, and I've had some setbacks related mostly to squat form, and recently with a stupid calorie restriction I put myself on right before a hurricane washed all the food out of town and power out of my kitchen. But I'm eating again and I'm squatting to depth with hip drive, and my strength has more or less returned.

One issue I have, however, is with my left shoulder/bicep. I think it is related to my squat, and also underdevelopment (I can't do a single chin with chest to bar), so I will be doing dumbbell curls 3(x2 arms)x10, followed by chin negatives for now instead of cleans. I tried cleans and my left arm had been hurting, thought I'd train through it, then it started feeling weak and numb down to the wrist joint.

Here is my program, starting with today's workout:

Squat 5x3x230
Press 5x3x142.5
DB curl 10x3 (this will always imply six sets, three for each arm)
5 chin negatives

Day 2 (numbers based on Monday's workout)

Squat 5x3x235
Bench 5x3x210
Deadlift 5x1x305
Possibly 10x3 DB curls, light weight and more for therapy for my left arm which always hurts.

I've reset my squat twice, but I have my lifting shoes and I'm over making stupid 10lb jumps when I shouldn't. More confident now than I was with them, and I will be eating above 4kKcals a day again. Hope to have a 350 squat at least by year's end, a 250 bench, and a 450 DL. And be able to do one chin. Lol.

[cfreetenor]

I missed a training day. I had something come up that required my attention in the evening on Monday, and I was job hunting during the day. I got the job, and was there from 10am-10:30pm on Tuesday and was exhausted.

So today I resumed with the workout that was planned for Monday. I put up 235 3x5 on the squat like it was my job, I benched 210 across on the bench - a bit grindy but I think there's another gear shift in there, and I pulled 305 DL for one set.

I don't know if it was the eating or the curls that helped more, but my arm and shoulder pain was pretty much gone. I also moved my left hand a bit further out for the grip, I may have had it too far in without realizing.

I did the curls, this time 3x12 for each arm. I also like the pump. Couldn't hurt I figure.

[cfreetenor]

I've been a bit behind on my eating, time to be more aggressive about it.

Today I squatted 240lb across

For the press, I've stalled out at ~145 about 10 times now. I went for five on my first set, and the last rep was extremely sloppy. So I decided then to do 4 more sets of 3. I made all of the reps after that. This was 145lbs. Presses will be five sets of three from now on.

I did 10 chin negatives, and I realized mid squats that there is basically a hole in my left shoulder where my external rotator should be - compared to my right shoulder. I did some dumbbell stuff to make it start working and it greatly alleviated most of the shoulder pain associated with the squat. I also did my DB curls. At some point I'll start doing cleans again.

I just realized I've been stuck at the same numbers for a while now. I need to start eating like I used to. Just to reiterate. I don't work tomorrow, I guess I'm hitting the grocery tonight for the good stuff.

[cfreetenor]

Made a massive amount of fried rice with cube steak, chicken, broccoli, carrots, and onions. Will be eating copiously.

[carson]

Welcome. What is your age, weight, and height. Have you posted some of your lifts on the technique forum.

A little story. We have a relatively new client who looks quite strong but has some injuries. He miss loaded his squat on Friday. It was supposed to be 160. He loaded it to over 200. As he lifted all 5 lifts he commented "those seemed heavy". They really were but he lifted them all with pretty good form. We are all glad he did not hurt himself.

[cfreetenor]

Sorry, I'll edit my stats into the OP. I feel like I could put up north of 260 right now for five, I just don't think I would be able to do 3 sets.

I think part of what I have going on is my upper body being a standard deviation or more stronger than my lower body. A 210 bench and 145 press seems low for a 235 squat and 305 deadlift. Since people usually look at my top half, I look strong.


ETA I guess I can't edit the OP. Here they are:

Age: 25
Height: 6'
Weight: 190# (up from 162 at the beginning of June)

I've posted my squat on the coach forum a couple times, last I did I was hitting depth apparently but I was told to bring my feet in some. When I start cleaning again I'll post that, but I had some issues with my arms getting numb crop up when I did a stupid little cut experiment.

[cfreetenor]

240 across on squats.

212.5 across on bench.

310 DL.

Did requisite curls and rotations with DBs.

I also did AMRAP on the last sets of squat and bench. 6 and 7 reps respectively. Don't tell Rip :X

Squats felt deeper and easier than ever today. Reps 1-4 of each set pretty much sprung right up, and I didn't take more than 5-6 minutes of rest between. Probably all of the McDonalds and chocolate milk.

[cfreetenor]

245 across on squats today. Took a video of my first set. Will post. Good depth. Maybe too deep.

147.5 press across. 5 triples. Form is working out, bar path correcting itself too. Which I didn't notice was off.

I cleaned today, 5 triples at 140. I still did my dumbell things. I was a bit short on calories yesterday. I really think I just have to eat a lot to keep the shoulder and arm numbness at bay.

[cfreetenor]

Difficult workout today. Multifactorial reasons.

I benched first because someone was benching in the rack and I was on a time crunch. Pins we're set very low so I basically did an extra rep through the warm-up and on the first set. Got two complete sets and racked it after the first rep on the third. This was at 215.

I squatted 250 across.

I have to go back for the deadlift tomorrow. Experiencing major numbness from my shoulder to my forearm on the left side. I experience this more when I'm not eating as much as I should. I bought some chocolate syrup and I'm getting back on a gallon of chocolate milk a day, just to eliminate this problem. Thought I was getting it in whole food and shakes. Apparently not.

Tomorrow I'll go in for the deadlift, and some light presses. The pain and numbness is situated in the muscle bellies and radiates from the medial and posterior deltoid, so I might try the Starr rehab.

[cfreetenor]

I went back and picked up the deadlift and bench I left there on Friday. Got 215 across for bench and 315 deads