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Thread: davescarp, the log...

  1. #1
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    Oct 2017
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    Default davescarp, the log...

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    Hi, I'm Dave. So I've been in the SS NLP for a few months now. I keep records of all my weights lifted in a spreadsheet, but I think this would be useful to annotate some of my sessions of how things felt, what went good, what was wrong, etc. I think really the motivation here is something went wrong on my last session, I missed a squat for the first time ever so I'd like to begin cataloging my sessions with some more detail.

    I've been running an advanced novice program for the past couple of weeks.

    I'm currently 39 years old, 173 lbs (up from 161 lbs) and approximately 5'6" .

    My current lifts are:
    Squat - 290.0
    Deadlift - 305.0
    Bench - 160.0
    Press - 101.5

    Squats are a death march right now, as is bench press. Deads are moving though it's starting to get wicked hard too. I've reset my press and am making very small gains on a modified LP approach. More on that in a bit.
    Last edited by davescarp; 11-08-2017 at 11:05 AM.

  2. #2
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    11/06/2017 - Squat 3 x 5 @ 290, Bench 3 x 5 @ 161.5 and back off 2 x 5 @ 95%, chins 3 x max (2 min rest)

    training 11/6/17 - Google Photos

    Squat: 3 x 5 @ 290. failed 3rd rep on 3rd set

    I've been having this issue of the bar rolling up my neck so I was trying really hard to brace my upper back better and also tried to lower the bar a little. First 2 sets were extremely hard but the bar speed looked good. Didn't completely solve bar rolling and have posted a video on the SSC Q&A to get a little feedback but it hasn't come up yet. On the 3rd set the first 2 reps felt heavy as fuck, and I was pretty gassed going into the 3rd rep. Still, the bigger issue was the bar rolled up on my neck again, and I got waaay out on my toes and couldn't fight up through it, so I had to lay it down.. I was pretty crushed and disappointed. Still am. Ordered a pair of Adidas powerlifts.

    Bench 3 x 5 @ 161.5. Failed 5th rep on first set.

    Went into bench still a little shaken from the squat. My mind was fucked and I promptly dropped the last rep of the first set @ 161.5 on the pins. I had done 160, 159, 159 on the last session (5 days previous). I probably should have just tried 160 x 3 or even 5 as I intended to do 5 sets of bench (suggestion from Baraki/Figenbaum podcast). Ended up doing 161.5 x 4, 155 x 2 x 5, 150 x 2 x 5. I've been alternating a session with 5 sets and 3 sets in the hopes that the increased volume would help drive up the lift. Its been a struggle. God my bench blows balls and I'm pretty frustrated with it.

    Discouraged from the worst lifting session I've had in 4 months, and having a weird pain in my left bicep that seems to happen during heavy bench sessions now, I quit for the night and pretty much skipped chins. which of course made me feel even more shitty.
    Last edited by davescarp; 11-09-2017 at 11:24 AM.

  3. #3
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    11/08/2017 - Squat 2 x 5 @ 230, Press 3 x 5 @ 101.5, Deadlift 1 x 5 @ 310, chins 3 x max (2 min)

    training 11/8/17 - Google Photos

    Squat felt light, but still having trouble keeping correct bar position so it doesn't roll up on my back. I may bump up to 85% on light day next week, 80% feels easy and not sure i should be taking it quite so easy mid-week. Not sure how it's going to go on Friday when it's heavy again. Going to attempt 290 again for 3x5 but if it's looking bleak maybe a backoff for the 3rd set, so I don't mind fuck myself again.

    Press was pretty good too, a tiny little bit grindy on the 5th reps but overall pretty good, waay better than before the last reset a few weeks ago. I'm thinking of moving the press and bench to more intermediate style programming. I'm really struggling to make any progress, but i'd like to press on heavy squat days (next week) and bench on the wednesday with heavy deads, then program a mini workout on Saturday with bench and maybe some other useless shit like curls for dem gunzZz lol.

    Warming up the deads it felt light. got to 310 and it moved pretty good. I think form looked pretty good on video too. need to work on squeezing out slack on the bar while maintaining hips up. I think I have a tendency to drop the hips a little. regardless, 310 moved and I'm fucking stoked to deadlift 3 wheels next week. i had meant to do a back off set or 2 but forgot. Because I skipped chins last time, I banged out 3 sets with 9,7,6. Not bad. Still not sure why i can't progress to 3 sets of 10. WTF. Anxious about squats on Friday.
    Last edited by davescarp; 11-09-2017 at 11:22 AM.

  4. #4
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    11/10/17 - Squat 3 x 5 @ 290, Bench 3 x 5 @ 160, BB rows 3 x 8 @ 155

    training 11/10/17 - Google Photos

    Lifting in proper(ish) weightlifting shoes for the first time ever... WOW. maybe in my head but boy these seem to make a huge difference. Crushed my 3 sets of 5 with 290, well maybe not crushed. it was definitely very hard, maybe a 9ish? Still a little bit of bar rolling, but better overall.

    got all three sets of bench in at 160, but man it feels like a grind on just about every set. going to start pressing and benching 2x per week starting next week as a transition into intermediate programming

    Last few reps on sets for rows for was probably getting a little sloppy due to fatigue. going to reprogram rows with some volume cycling over the next 6 weeks until the new year.

    I'm planning to run a mini-6 week cycle that is kind of a modified advanced LP/intermediate template up through the holidays. Deadlifts are still moving a 5# a week so I'm going to leave that alone, and as I said I'm going to cycle the volume on BB rows. Depending on how it goes, I may only do 3 x 5 PR squats 1x per week with an 80% light day on Wednesday, Then either a medium volume or a 1 set PR with back offs, probably the latter if i can handle it on fridays. The biggest difference will be running press and bench 2x per week with a PR day that may be 1 PR plus back offs, and a medium day of 2-3x5 @ 80-85%. Basically i'm going to add a mini saturday session of bench and maybe a couple of accessory things like gunzzz, core etc, but still want to keep it short and simple as I don't really have a lot of time on weekends...
    Last edited by davescarp; 11-12-2017 at 08:37 AM.

  5. #5
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    11/13/17 - squat 295, press 102.5 x 3 x 5, armz

    training 11/13/17 - Google Photos

    I didn't really have a plan for what to do about squats tonight. I was going to attempt at least on set at 295 then do back offs as I could feel all day while deer hunting that my legs were fatigued. I loaded up 295, and did 4 reps and re-racked. Kinda pissed because I think I could have got 5 and I kind of pussed out. The fucking first rep i almost dumped as the bar flew up my neck but I was able to recover. The other 3 reps were respectable but I don't know, something happened and I felt like I wouldn't get a 5th rep so I racked it. finished with 2 x 5 at 92% so 275 that actualy felt surprisingly hard. on the first set at 275 I actually did 6 reps, oops. I think i might try to squat medium on monday, light on wednesday, and heavy on friday. friday workouts have seemed easier so gonna try it for a couple of weeks.

    press 102.5 x 3 x 5 was a little grindy on the 4th and 5th reps, but progress still. Did 2 back-off sets of 6 at 92.5, no problem there for the most part. Definitely some form issues as sometimes the weight feels pretty easy and other times it's a slog.

    did some incline density db bicep curls, 5 minutes, sets of 8 EMOM. last 2 sets were pretty hard.
    Last edited by davescarp; 11-17-2017 at 08:12 AM.

  6. #6
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    11/15/17 - squat 235, bench 161.5, deadlift 315, chins

    training 11/15/17 - Google Photos

    Light day squat at 235 2 x 5. easy. gonna look at the video again. Got some feedback from Wolf about upper back rounding and the corresponding bar movement. Going to try to clean that up.

    Did one set at 161.5 for bench. last rep was a pretty good grind. decided to go to 4 sets of 5 at 145 to build volume. I'm also going to start pressing and benching 2x per week every week. Actually, for the last 2 sets I took a video straight away and i think my grip has been too narrow. I widened it out an inch or so, and it felt better, less weird pain in my upper arm during the rep.

    deadlifts sort of felt heavy during warmup. but got to 315 and made all 5 reps. 1-2 of the reps overall were a little sketchy form wise. definitely developing an issue of the bar immediately moving away from shin at liftoff. have to look into that a bit more.

  7. #7
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    The difference between squishy shoes and proper weight lifting shoes is quite real. It's good that you discovered it. I find working with a coach from time to time is quite beneficial. You don't have major problems from my perspective but as you get into heavier lifts a coach can tip you off to problems that may become big problems.

  8. #8
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    wow, i need to catch up on a couple of workouts. probably over the weekend.

  9. #9
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    11/18/17 - squat 265 3x5, press 77.5, row 155

    For the first time in 5 months, i missed a friday workout and did this the following day on saturday. not much to say about that.

    Kind of a medium day for squats. focusing on keeping good form. 265 didn't feel tragically heavy, but far from easy too.

    Press was easy at 77.5 where I did 3 sets of 6. starting to shift to 2x a week and more volume

    Rows are getting to where the last couple of reps are a challenge. going to start some volume cycling

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    11/20/17 - squat 250 4x5, press 85 4x5, some armz

    more of less going to do HLM squating according the GGW percentages. today was about 75%. Felt good, form looked good actually I thought. First time doing a 4th set though so mentally there was something about it. Legs were definitely a little tired afterwards.

    Press at 85 was 75%, felt fine and all. Again, form is all over the place. really need to focus on these lighter loads. I'm going to start next heavy day with a top set then run back-offs, as I think there is a little more LP in my press.

    Did 5 minutes of 8-rep sets of dumbbell curls because I like them.

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