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Thread: nteeps' Log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Default nteeps' Log

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    I'm just starting my LP. I'm 24 and have always been decently fit and athletic. I played high school sports, but always swore off going to the gym; thought it was boring, yet here I am! My goal is to squat 350, DL 400, press 150, and bench 200. My BW is 180 right now, and I'm 5'11 1/2". I started slowly, not with 3 times a week, or increasing my diet too quickly, so I actually lost weight (about 6 lbs) after the first four workouts.
    Here are my first 10 workouts:

    2 Nov - Day 1:
    Did a bunch of reps with just the bar on each to try and sort things out. I went with a friend who doesn't know SS, so I tried to teach him some things. He ended up convincing me I had the bar too low on my back and I ended up doing high-bar squats - this took a bit to figure out. Final numbers were:
    Squat: 195x5x3

    Press: 75x3x1

    DL: 185x4x1 - this wasn't too heavy, but my lower back was rounding, so...
    135x5x1


    6 Nov - Day 2
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185x2x1 - getting a tiny bit of help from spotter (he was a little eager to help)
    205x5x3 - again, a tiny bit of help

    BP: 45, 65, 95, 115, 145x2x1 - couldn't do it
    135x5x2 - missed #5 on set 2

    DL: 185x5x1 - no issues


    13 Nov - Day 3
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 205x5x1 - I was trying to teach another dude how to squat, but by the time it got to me we were crammed for time and I was pretty rushed. I botched it at the beginning of set 2, despite it feeling very doable.

    Press: 45, 55, 65, 80x5x3 - Form broke down on last rep of set 3 (I leaned hard right) but I got the bar up.

    DL: 95, 115, 135, 155, 195x5x1 - No problems!


    Day 4 (date unknown)
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 205x5x3 - This was easy but I had to prove I could do it before moving on. I did 6 reps on set 3 to make sure.

    BP: 45, 65, 95, 115, 140x5x3 - Only made 4 on set 3.

    DL: 95, 135, 165, 200x5x1 - I meant to do 210 but forgot! Sheesh.


    18 Nov - Day 5: BW = 174
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 210x5x3 - no problems

    Press: 45, 55, 65, 85x5x3 - no problems

    DL: 95, 135, 185, 225x5x1 - 25lb jump caused no problems!


    20 Nov - Day 6: BW = 174
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 215x5x3 - knees wobbling in at start of ascent

    BP: 45, 65, 95, 115, 145x5x3 - moved on despite missing last time, and it worked out. It was tough though. Favouring right side.

    DL: 95, 135, 185, 240x5x1 - tough, but good.


    Day 7 (date unknown): BW = 178 (started eating right)
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 225x4x1, 220x2x1, 220x3x1, 210x5x1 - this got pretty messy. I totally missed on 225 (I was hoping to do 10lb jumps to catch up from lost time). I don't know what happened with 220, but the last set of 210 was supposed to be 220 (I was with someone and re-racking the weights. We miscounted).

    Press: 45, 55, 65, 90x5x3 - good

    DL: 135, 165, 205, 255x5x1 - really tough. Losing grip (with switch grip). Some lower back rounding on rep 5.


    29 Nov - Day 8: BW = 181
    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 220x5x3 - sorted myself out and started doing low-bar squats. Right shoulder really hurt doing this. Squats went well though.

    BP: 45, 65, 85, 115, 150x5x3 - some help on rep 5 of set 3; I took a bad breath in.

    DL: 135, 165, 205, 265x5x1 - felt really good. Tough, but good.


    1 Dec - Day 9: BW = 181
    DL: 135, 165, 225, 275x5x1 - had to start w/ DL because squat racked was taken. Did extra warm-up sets (not shown). Felt good.

    Press: 45, 55, 65, 95x5x3 - good

    Squat: 45, 95, 135, 185, 225x5x3 - grip felt better than day before, may be asymmetrical though.


    4 Dec - Day 10: BW = 180
    Squat: 45, 115, 145, 195, 230x5x3

    BP: 45, 65, 85, 115, 155x5x3 - really tough. Spotter helped with "less than a pound" on last rep.

    DL: 135, 165, 225, 285x5x1 - may be my last 10lb jump. Grip was slipping on rep 5 on right side.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Walled Lake, Michigan
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    Welcome, but why would you allow someone so poorly educated in strength training to convince you not to do the Squats the proper way? I hope that you have thrown off his error and are doing the low bar squat.

  3. #3
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    Good grief, there is not a damn thing wrong with High Bar Squats.

  4. #4
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    Nov 2017
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    Quote Originally Posted by carson View Post
    Welcome, but why would you allow someone so poorly educated in strength training to convince you not to do the Squats the proper way? I hope that you have thrown off his error and are doing the low bar squat.
    Good question. Basically this guy used to be a personal trainer, and he was helping me get started at a gym. Somehow, after reading SSBBT3, I thought that the proper placement was just above the spine of the scapula, so when I tried to put the bar here, it was pretty painful, and my friend convinced me that this looked a little silly, so I moved the bar up slightly onto my traps, and thought "this feels much better" and went from there. This was compounded by the fact that the only other time I had squatted in a gym, I placed the bar pretty much right on my neck, so the traps seemed like a pretty "low-bar" squat to me. Anyway, I got this sorted out by Day 8 and a lot of things have made more sense since then, ie. getting my torso more horizontal, pushing out my knees, etc. I rationalized these things looking a bit different for me because I have a proportionally long torso so a more vertical back angle makes sense, just not to that extent.

    I'm still adjusting the new position - I'm not super flexible in the shoulders, but it's doable. I can tell I'm engaging more muscle as my past 3 lifts have felt comparatively easier even though the weight is still going up.

  5. #5
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    Mar 2013
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    Since you are still early in the program and before you hurt yourself go see a certified SS coach. Don't mess around with personal trainers. Don't guess on the technique. Go see a certified SS coach. They are listed on the website. In addition, if you are able to film your lifts and put them on the technique area of this forum do so. There are plenty of people who can help you.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    I looked up coaches, but I'm in Toronto and there aren't any around here. I'm in the process of getting a form check done online though.

    The personal trainer was just a friend of mine who was up for me teaching him what I learned from the book, but he obviously had some of his own ideas too. He was pretty open minded, but was just trying to help out. It was a lot more my fault than his.

  7. #7
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    Apr 2012
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    Always remember, there no one best way to become strong. Anyone that says otherwise is full of BS.

  8. #8
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    Nov 2017
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    I'd say that there's no one good way to get strong, but there certainly are better ways. I think Starting Strength is a better one (from the little I know), but it'd be ignorant and arrogant to say that it's the only good way.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Walled Lake, Michigan
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    It's good that you are going to check your form with an online coach. Who are you checking with, if I may ask?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    starting strength coach development program
    Tom Campitelli or Michael Wolf. Here's the thread (I just posted the video).
    Form Check

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