Lofton's Log - SS in north Puget Sound

[Tim Lofton]

3/3/2010

Session 39

Squat: 215# x 5 x 3 (80% day)

Bench: 165# x 4, 165 x 2, 160 x 3

Dead: 275# x 3 x 2

Squat ended up being 78% day as it was supposed to be 220#. Oh well, the way things have gone this week I probably would have failed.
Bench is a bit of a wreck right now. Due to illness, I hadn't benched in over a week, when I hit all sets at 160#, barely. Given I'm still recovering from a cold that is trying like hell to hang on and crappy sleep patterns for the past month, I'm going to drop back to 160 next bench session and make sure I get through this point again. I might consider microloading after that, which doesn't make me happy as I was hoping to at least get a BW bench before having to consider that.
Deadlift was really hard, but I expected no less, again, given how the last week or two has transpired. Still using double overhand grip, so that isn't an issue. I do need to attend to a couple of developing calluses before they get too much bigger. More chalk next time too.
All-in-all, I think (hope) this is just a big rough patch that I need to grind and recover my way through. I don't have a lot of optimism for Friday's workout based on how I feel right now, but that might change. I think next week will be a good week after one more lift day this week and some rest days. It will be interesting to get to November and look back on my first full year of strength training, but it's a long, climbing road to that point.

[Tim Lofton]

3/5/2010

Weekly weigh-in: 197#

Session 40

Squat: 275# x 5 x 3

Press: 122.5# x 5 x 2, 122.5 x 4

PC: 110# x 3 x 3

Squats went surprisingly well; got 275 and it didn't feel like a max effort. Not much else to say.

Press was disappointing as I felt strong throughout and a lack of good form/tightness on the last set had me doing some somewhat excessive layback and I couldn't push the last rep up. This has been a rough week and, even though I did this weight a week ago Monday, I was glad to get this far today. Will repeat this weight next press session and get it.

Power cleans were sloppy as I was kind of pressed for time. Very little explosiveness. Will repeat the weight again next Friday.

Overall I'm happy to move past the 275 squat. It was a bit of a fight but worth it. Maybe 200# BW by next week?!

[Razor]

Squat numbers look goo , being sick sucks and can be as hard on you mentaly as physicaly. your bench will come around fast once you fully recover from being sick

[Tim Lofton]

Squat numbers look goo , being sick sucks and can be as hard on you mentaly as physicaly. your bench will come around fast once you fully recover from being sick

Thanks for the good words Razor. Being sick does suck, and this one dragged on more than usual. I hope you're right regarding bench, but it has been tough for quite a while. Coming from a running background, my upper body strength was/is absolutely pathetic. Trying like everything to rectify that though.

[Tim Lofton]

3/8/2010

Session 41

Squat: 280# x 5 x 3

Bench: 160# x 5 x 3

Chins: 5-4-3

First set of squats went very well and, at that point, I knew (well, with reasonable confidence) I would get all three sets. Form was right on and no right knee caving like I had been experiencing a little of recently. This didn't feel like an all-out effort either, so recovery allowing this week, Friday's effort should go well (Wednesday is 80% day). It's like each progression is a small celebration.

I was a bit cynical about the bench today as I had already done this weight for sets before, but have had issues with 165#, being sick recently, etc. So it was decided that I would drop back to the last safe weight and progress from here. I'm still not convinced that I need to microload yet. I'm brutally weak up top, and today was hard but, again, not at a maximum effort. So I will shoot for 165 again on Friday.

Very tight and stiff up top and felt like benching muscles were filled - is this the "pump" that everyone talks about? If so, it sure made doing chin-ups hard today as I actually regressed from the last two times. Oh well, it's assistance anyway.

Very happy overall and hungry as hell right now. Time to eat!

[Tim Lofton]

3/11/2010

Session 42

Squat: 225# x 5 x 3 (80% day)

Press: 122.5# x 5 x 3

Dead: 285# x 3 x 2

Normally this workout would have been performed yesterday, but I was doing leukopheresis, so no lifting after that. Squats felt really good, no residual soreness today, form felt fine, all was well, as it should be on a lighter day.

The first work set of the press was a bit sloppy as I think I was accelerating the bar a bit too quickly to the top, where I then hold for a breath, then start the next rep. I actually got off balance by a half step but held it up and finished. Next two sets were much cleaner and I'm happy to move on to 125.

Deadlift still movin' on up, still with double overhand grip and chalk, had someone watch my back and shoulders and gave them cues as to what to look for. Nothing remarkable to note.

All-in-all a very straightforward day of lifting.

[Corey]

I looked at some of your posts and noticed you are having good results with mass gain. I see that you started at 12% BF. Do you mind if I ask what that BF% is now?

[Tim Lofton]

I looked at some of your posts and noticed you are having good results with mass gain. I see that you started at 12% BF. Do you mind if I ask what that BF% is now?

Hey Corey,

Actually at the start of things I was at 9-10% but, right now, I don't actually know. I don't have my own calipers and probably wouldn't trust my use of them anyway. I'll have to see if one of the staff at my work's fitness center can do some measurements. I was trying not to really worry about it for a while and just stick with gaining weight. I'm hoping to to be, at least, 200-205 by the end of the month.
At any rate, sorry I don't have that data right now. I will let you know when I find out if you would like. I would guess around 13-15% maybe; I was pretty damn lean (skinny) from running ultramarathons.

[Tim Lofton]

3/13/2010

Weekly weigh-in: 198#

Session 43

Squat: 285# x 5 x 3

Bench: 165# x 5 x 3

PC: 115# x 3 x 5

Lifted at my secondary gym today. Always feels weird as I only get in there maybe once a month or so if I have to lift on a weekend/holiday/vacation day. Thusly, the first set or two of squats are always a bit tenuous and I have no idea why. Just takes a while to settle in.

However, squats went pretty well regardless. A bit of the right knee caving in again on a few reps. I did experience a slight pull in the lower back during the second set, but it wasn't enough to call it a day. Just got folded over a bit more than I would have liked, and this has happened more than I want lately, so it's time to refocus on chest up and driving the hips. I think I got a bit too nonchalant. At any rate, finished the work sets and am now knocking on the 300# door.

I was somewhat questioning going to a microload for the bench, but something in my gut said to go for the five pound jump one more time, so I did. Am I glad I did! The sets went well, tough and slow at times, but I never felt like I was going to dump the weight. On the last rep of my second set, another guy there doing much upper body stuff came up behind to provide a spot as the bar slowed on the ascent, but I quickly said, "got it!" and surged the bar upward. He wanted me to get one more rep and I indicated that I am doing sets of five and that was it. I thanked him though and told him I didn't want to miss a rep due to a spot. Fortunately he didn't touch the bar and I told him that's why I'm benching in the power rack. Onward with the bench in search of a BW workset.

Power cleans went reasonably well, despite my back starting to tighten and occasionally spasm slightly. I managed to find some extra limberness as the arms rotated up nicely and the bar hit the delts every time.

It sure felt good to have a week like this after poor sleep weeks affecting recovery and a sick week that dragged out way too long. Things are progressing again, just when I was thinking I was really stuck a bit. I'm hoping to hit a BW of 200# by the end of next week - maybe more as that would only be a two pound increase from this week. Time for a day or two off.

[Tim Lofton]

3/16/2010

Session 44

Squat: 290# x 2, 290 x 5, 290 x 2

Press: 125# x 5 x 2, 125 x 4

Pull-ups: 6-4-2

Several things bit me in the ass today. Sleep has been crap the past couple of nights, my back that got slightly tweaked on Saturday was still in my head, and I looked past the current work set weight.

Nothing is more important than what is currently in front of you. I was getting a little psyched about shooting for a 300# squat in a week and not remembering that I still need to get through the current week first. My back, which physically didn't bother me, but is just a bit tight, stuck in my head and I think I was also a bit worried about tweaking it again and being set back a few days - again, wanting to get to 300.

The first set of two reps had me feeling plenty strong enough to do the full set but I actually rolled the bar backward and let it down behind me onto the safeties. Oh, I was videoing too as I don't want to cheat depth as I approach 300 and want to ensure that I getting it right. I tend to be less than focused when the camera is on and it showed on this set.
The second set was fine, as was depth. The third set was basically a repeat of set one. Two reps and I felt myself unable to drive the hips. My lower back immediately came to mind and I let the bar go down to the safeties again. It wasn't a crash as I lowered myself and let the bar go backwards. Just a really bad work set of squats today and I got what I deserved.

Press went well overall really, just missed the very last rep. Lack of willpower, fatigue, elbows behind the bar? Haven't watched all of the video of these yet, but I'm not overly concerned about not getting 125# next press session.

Eighty percent squat next session, 170# bench, and 295# deadlift, then refocus on 290...