Gamedog's Training Log

[gamedog]

I've been doing barbell training since the last week or so in February, 2010. I was doing the StrongLifts 5x5 program, and after I began having difficulty recovering from workouts, I decided to de-load, and then start out with Rip's Starting Strength Novice Program instead.

-STATS-
AGE: 31
HEIGHT: 6'
WEIGHT: 219 lbs

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 135 x 5 x 3
BENCH PRESS: 135 x 5 x 3
DEADLIFT: 135 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
Good workout today. Last week I tweaked my lower back during squats, so I've been resting and missed working out on Friday. It was good to get back in the squat cage today, and I did fine. Today is the first day of doing Rip's Low Bar squat. Previous to this, I kept the bar high up on my traps. I noticed that I had a tendency to round out my back a little at first, when doing it that way. Today I did the Low Bar squats as Rip prescribes, and not only did it make it easier to maintain proper form, it also made my back feel tighter, and stronger. No rounding, and there was NO stress on my lower back (the kind that makes you feel like your lower back is going to split) at all.

I'm sore after working out, but not like I was when I was on StrongLifts. I still feel like I got a good workout, BUT, without all the extra work sets, and all the extra assistance exercises, I don't feel "dead" like before. On StrongLifts I'd finish up, and after my shower I just felt sore and tired, really tired. After my SS workout today though, I was pleased to note that I felt wide-awake, and (I know this sounds stupid) happy. I also noted that for the first time since I started all this, I felt hungry, almost ravenous, right after my workout. Never felt hungry before, though I'd eat anyway because I knew I ought to. After I returned from the gym I ate my spinach salad, two chicken breasts, and two scoops of whey blended into two cups of whole milk.

And I'm still hungry. Gonna eat some cheese now.

[gamedog]

Today I did Workout "B" for the first time. Never did Power Cleans before so I made sure to follow the instructions in the Wiki.

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 140 x 5 x 3
OVERHEAD PRESS: 95 x 5 x 3
POWER CLEAN: 45 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
I paid more attention to my knees today. I was getting a lot of pain just above the patella in my left knee last time. I spread my feet just a little bit further, and made sure to point my toes and knees out. Pointed them out further as well. And I've been stretching my hamstrings as well. No pain at all in my knees at all today, after working out, and any discomfort during my workout was minimal/barely noticeable

[gamedog]

Felt good, getting into the gym today. And the workout went well. Just went from one set to the next, feeling good and working hard. And every time the bar went up, it went up easy.

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 145 x 5 x 3
BENCH PRESS: 140 x 5 x 3
DEADLIFT: 140 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
No notes other than the above for today. I just need to remember to PAY ATTENTION throughout the exercises. So that's it for the day.

P.S.
I thought it'd be fun to attach some photos of my dog.

[mountainmatt]

Nice looking dog. Keep up the good work

[gamedog]

Thanks!

[gamedog]

-STATS-
WEIGHT: 222 lbs

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 155 x 5 x 3
OVERHEAD PRESS: 100 x 5 x 3
POWER CLEAN: 55 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
Good workout today. I felt like I could add 10 instead of 5, and it was fine. Form got a little wobbly on my last set of overhead presses, but I was able to fix it and complete the set without any slop, so that was good.

Still learning power cleans. Working on the movement with a broom handle for a few sets before going to the bar. It's hard for a tall, gangly motherfucker like me to get the sequence down, and I don't like doing them much, either. But I'm going to keep at it. When I was a kid -9/10/11 years-old- skateboarding, I couldn't ollie. Never learned how to. Always thought "I'm too uncoordinated to learn how" and gave up on skating. That sucks. I enjoyed it, but I gave it up because I wasn't learning the trick I wanted to do. Probably could have learned if I tried harder, but I never did...

So I'm going to keep working on the power cleans, and not give up on them.

Come to think of it, I've given up on a lot of other stuff, when shit got "too technical," too. Girlfriends, various activities, jobs... One long string of shit I gave up on.

I guess I've been a pussy for a while. Oh well. It can't be all bad, I was in the gym again today and I enjoyed it. I'll keep working on it, and get back in there tomorrow for cardio and then again on Wednesday for Workout A again. I enjoy dead lift day.

[gamedog]

-TODAY'S WORKOUT-

Squats:
45 lbs. x 5 x 2
75 lbs. x 5 x 1
110 lbs. x 5 x 1
145 lbs. x 5 x 1
165 lbs. x 5 x 3

Bench Press:
45 lbs. x 5 x 2
70 lbs. x 5 x 1
95 lbs. x 5 x 1
120 lbs. x 5 x 1
150 lbs. x 5 x 3

Dead Lift:
150 lbs. x 5 x 1

Notes:
I tried to get in there today and just fucking kill it. Be an animal. I pounded out rep after rep, set after set as intensely as I could while keeping good form. 165 was where I'd stalled when I hurt my back, back on the 5x5 program. Now that I've been doing Rip's program, I was able to do a few 10 lbs. increases, and today, with 165 it felt as if I was barely lifting anything. Felt like I could have lifted twice that.

Bench Presses were good, good form but that last set was hard. 5 lbs. increases from now on, on the bench and over-head presses. I'll stick to the 10 lbs. increases on the squats and dead lifts as long as I can.

I almost shit myself when I stepped on the scale. It read 227 lbs. It read 222 on Monday. LOL Probably water weight.

[gamedog]

... and here's another photo of my pittie, this was taken while she was outside playing the day after we got that really bad snow back in February. Yes, I'm quite proud of my dog. Soon I hope to be in as good a shape as she is LOL

[Tim Lofton]

Today I did Workout "B" for the first time. Never did Power Cleans before so I made sure to follow the instructions in the Wiki.

Highly recommend you buy the book. It really is good reading...again and again. It's hard to get by just off of the wiki and you'll become more knowledgable in the process. If you are struggling some with power cleans, having the entire chapter in front of you can make a difference. Once you are a bit more form savy and start cleaning some more weight, they get to be pretty fun, in my opinion. Cleaning your presses also gets you some extra work with them. Also, it's a good show of support for the man providing this site and the information we've all come to put to good use. Good luck.

[gamedog]

The wife ordered it for me and it ought to be in the mail on its way out to me as we speak ;-)