Connor's Novice LP Log

[cwmcarthur]

Hey, I'm new here. I wrote up my recent fitness story on reddit if you're interested in my background.

Starting stats:
Male, 27yo, 6'0", 193.5lbs, 21.7% body fat (estimated)

Current:
201lbs, 21.7% body fat

I've read SS 3ed and consumed all kinds of content related to SS (Barbell Logic, Ask Rip, this forum, and so on) and have been doing some form of linear progression for the last 4 weeks and change. I've been doing the SSLP for the last week or so. Planning to do the program moving forward.

Best lifts as of 9/22:

Squat: 155lb 3x5
Bench: 125lb 3x5
Deadlift: 195lb 1x5
Press: 87.5lb 3x5

[cwmcarthur]

Monday, 9/25

Weight: 198.3 @ 21.3% body fat

Squat: 160lb 3x5
Press: 90lb 3x5
Deadlift: 210lb 1x5

Did not use a belt.


Wednesday, 9/27

Weight: 201.7 @ 21.5% body fat

Squat: 165lb 3x5
Bench: 130lb 3x5
Power Clean: 95lb 5x3

First workout with belt. Back felt great during squats. Contemplating taking a few more 10lb jumps if squats continue to feel this good.

Note: I'm measuring my body fat % with a Fitbit Aria scale. So it's not gospel, but it is directionally interesting.

[cwmcarthur]

Friday, 9/29/17

Weight: 204.2(?) @ 21.9% body fat

Squat: 170lb 3x5
Press: 95lb 3x5
Deadlift: 220lb 1x5

I felt good today. Really focusing on form in the squat and on the eccentric motion in the deadlift. Filmed myself last deadlift session and my back was rounding.

The scale is freaking me out. 6 pounds in the last week? Had a couple beers last night, wondering if it's just a fluctuation. If this keeps up for another week, I'll rein the calories in a little bit.

My shoes were "delivered" yesterday, but when I got home from work they were not on my step. That sucks. For now, I continue to squat & deadlift without shoes.

[cwmcarthur]

Forgot to say -- despite gaining 10lbs, my pants are fitting the same around the waist. They do feel a little tight in the thighs today, though. Might be time for some new pants soon.

[peez]

Welcome to these parts! You should aim for 1-2 lbs of weight gain per week initially, and taper off to 1-2 lbs a month. But you do want to gain weight, at least initially. Check out Jordan Feigenbaum's "To be a beast" article.

Buy pants more roomy, you'll need even more space for butt and thighs soon. Wardrobe issues come with the territory.

Also, upper back, neck, arms may become problem spots when buying shirts and such. I'd delay any investments in wardrobe if you can, or plan ahead for the inevitable.

[cwmcarthur]

Thanks peez, I appreciate the reply. I just re-read To Be A Beast. I'm sort of in between "The Skinny Novice: Measured" (180, 20% bf, squatting 250 8 weeks in) and "The Fluffy Novice/Intermediate: Measured" (35% bf) and as such I've been indecisive about my diet. Going to stick with it for another week, but start logging things in MyFitnessPal to figure out if I'm underestimating the number of calories I am taking in.

I'm expecting (and hoping) that the next few days will reveal this to be a wild fluctuation.

PS I subscribed to your training log.

[cwmcarthur]

Monday, 10/2/2017

Great Monday. Big win for my Bills yesterday.

Weight: 201 @ 22.8% body fat (weighed in before breakfast / workout, which is unusual)

Squat: 175x3x5
Bench: 135x3x5
Power Cleans: 105x5x3

I filmed my power clean form for the first time today and, man, it is a mess. Worked on it throughout and I think I figured some things out. One problem I'm having right now is I don't have any 17" plates under 45 lbs, so it has been hard to get tight at the bottom.

Posted a squat form check over at: Squat form check

[cwmcarthur]

Wednesday, 10/4/2017

I feel achy and congested.

Weight: 202.4 @ 23% body fat. My body appears to have converted 5lbs of LBM to fat over the last week.

Squat: 180 3x5
Press: 97.5 3x5
Deadlift: 235 1x5

Recorded all three lifts today. My squat form felt like a disaster, but didn't look too bad. Despite that the weight felt pretty easy.

I think this is the most I've ever pressed. I'm into every-workout-PR territory. This felt pretty good. I nearly failed 4th rep in the last set when I let it get a little away from my body, but was able to pull it back in and finish the set.

My deadlift form felt like a disaster and is, in fact, a disaster. I'm having trouble getting my back into hard extension at the bottom. Anyway, I got all 5 up and am going to continue to increase the weight and work really hard on form in the warmups.

Squat shoes are getting delivered today.

[cwmcarthur]

Friday, 10/6/2017

Weight: 202.2 @ 22.8% body fat

Squat: 185 3x5
Bench: 140 3x5
Power Clean: 115 5x3

Power clean form is still a mess but cleaning it up a little. I recorded all my squat & PC work sets and will post another squat form check later today.

[cwmcarthur]

Monday, 10/9/2017

Weight: 203.3 @ 22.8%

Squat: 190 3x5
Press: 100 5, 5, 4
Deadlift: 245 1x4

F***!!!

Had to drag my butt out of bed this morning to get into the gym. Had caffeine before the workout which I normally don't do, but had me feeling focused when I got to my work sets. Had a banana before as well.

Squat felt heavy but I didn't have to grind any reps out.

I was anxious going into the press. First set felt heavy but no grinding. Second set, same deal. On the third set, the third rep was a little slow. The fourth took 4 full seconds to get up. The fifth didn't get above my chin.

After that, I shook it off and got to deadlifting. Deadlift warmups felt good. Was able to get my back tighter than usual. Last warmup set was a single at 225 which felt phenomenal. First three reps at 245 were heavy but I got them up without any struggle. On the fourth rep my grip started to fail and I struggled to lock it out. Could barely squeeze the fifth off the floor.

Hoping that I power through these numbers next workout, but still... something isn't right, these weights are light for me to be failing. Re-reading The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe today.

Diet: I've gained 4lbs the last two weeks. Pretty confident I'm getting enough protein, though most of it is from milk/eggs/whey/pork/chicken, I realize now I'm not eating any beef.
Jumps: 2.5lbs already on the press, though I am taking 10lbs jumps on the deadlift still. Seems like I should switch to 5lbs after I hit 245.
Rest: Taking 3.5min consistently between sets. It's time to up this between press sets. Don't see how this would affect deadlift though.

All around, this was a humbling experience.