Mike's SS Log

[andrewotbc]

For those interested, my BW is currently 188 (@ 5'10"). I technically started SS a week ago, but I'd been doing a hack version with DBs and the curl bar at my work gym for about 2 weeks prior. Before that bw was 185 and actually trying to still lose weight on 1700cals/day. I've upped my calories to about 2500/day because I don't want to lose any weight at the moment, but I don't really think I need to gain alot either; I think I'm kinda right in that zone where I just need to recompose, not go up or down. I'll increase my eating if and when my recovery starts to suffer, but so far so good.

My understanding is that you need to be eating a calorific surplus in order to build new muscle. So if you're not on a "cutting" phase, you should be on a "bulking". Maintenance level calories will not do much either way - I'm talking from experience as well, having spent over a year on maintenance calories and going to the gym with basically no progress.

[mikeylikey]

My understanding is that you need to be eating a calorific surplus in order to build new muscle. So if you're not on a "cutting" phase, you should be on a "bulking". Maintenance level calories will not do much either way - I'm talking from experience as well, having spent over a year on maintenance calories and going to the gym with basically no progress.

I wouldn't say I'm trying to eat maintenance, per se. Trying to eat enough to recover, not a lot more. If I'm not recovering, that'll be the first thing to change.

I have a pretty slow metabolism to begin with, and have a decent fat reserve to work with too. From reading other people's logs, it sounds like increased eating can result in better recovery / regained progress within a workout or two, so I can always titrate up if I start to struggle, and I will at the first sign. At this point while I'm still on relatively light weights, I don't seem to need to eat a ton. Getting lots of protein though.

[mikeylikey]

#4 5/30/10

Squat went well, grip & elbows feel better every time. Hips a little achey during + right after, fine now. Will keep an eye on that.

Funny story on Bench: picked out a bench, laid my log book under it, did my warm up sets and then put 35's on the bar for my planned work sets of 115, a mere 5lb increase from last time. Decided I needed a little more rest, went to the water fountain. Came back to the bench, laid down, look at the ceiling, unrack, down, up: "One". Man that felt hevier than I expected. "Two" I'm starting to doubt this whole linear progression. "Three" holy cow, I don't think I'm going to get all of these. "Four" - I genuinely don't know if I can get the next one and have no spotter, so I rack it, totally discouraged. That's when I noticed, simultaneously, the 45's on the bar, and my log book under the bench next to me. I had sat down at the wrong bench and inadvertently set a new 4rm. Doh! Moved back to 'my' bench, and since I figure 4x135>=5x115, did two more sets at 115, which were a piece of cake.

Chinups: Had a small attack of INDTP and did a couple of back off sets after these. Hopefully not a problem since I won't be doing them again until Friday.

I do warm up as prescribed in the book by the way, I just don't track each warm up set in my log. I've noticed that lots of others do, maybe I'll start. Not sure the rationale?

Work sets:

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 155#
Bench: 1 x 4 @ 135#; 2 x 5 @ 115#
Chins: 3 x 5 @ -72.5#, 2 x 5 @ -95#

[Mr.City]

Sorry to about the bencing boo boo. Happens to the best of us. Keep up the good work.

[mikeylikey]

Workout #5
6/2/10

Squats: hip sockets sore last time, think I narrowed it down to knees sliding past toes. Fixed that, felt good this time, added 10# from previous. As the weight goes up these get more strenuous, but I don't think I'm in danger of missing reps soon.

Press: +5lbs, 1st set pretty hard, got easier by the 3rd set, that happen for anybody else? Weird.

Deadlift. +15lbs. Pretty hard but in a doable way. (?). Anyway, I'm starting to like doing these. Will add 15 more lbs on Monday, then probably go to 10 lb jumps.

I wrote down my warm up progression prior to starting, and I think that helped me to stay focused through the workout. Plan to make a habit of that.

Oh, body weight 190 today

Work Sets:

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 165
Press: 3 x 5 @ 85
Deadlift: 5 @ 200

[Beltshumeltz]

The thing on the press has happened to me at least twice, where it got easier on the 2nd and/or 3rd set. I believe it's because I underestimate the difficulty of the exercise during the first set and approach it as a shoulder exercise, when it is more of a full body exercise. After a really tough first set, I approach the bar differently and am less inclined to forget to contract my legs, glutes, abdoment, back, lifting the chest up, and basically doing the whole thing with maximum intensity using everything from the sole of my foot to my hands.

I was amazed the last time this happened, last week I think. I was pissed to get only 4 reps on my first set but did 5 reps on both next sets pretty "easily".

[mikeylikey]

#6: 6/4/10

Not including warmups:

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 175
Bench: 3 x 5 @ 125
(Assisted) Chins: 3 x 5 @ -65

Squats: Getting very heavy. Last rep or two of each set slow. I think it's time to start taking vids because my form didn't feel as great and it was hard to think about anything except how hard I was working. My elbow/shoulder flexibility is really improving though. I originally couldn't do low-bar without some pretty bad pain, and tonight I noticed half way through my warmups that the bar was actually a little lower than it needed to be, but my elbows weren't complaining.

Bench: Added 10 lbs because I realized my bench only had 30 lbs on my press, and I think honestly I've been pussing out anyway. Slower this time, but no reps were in danger of being missed. I think I'd shoot for 135 next time, but: As previously mentioned I'm doing chins instead of PC's. So my workouts are: A) Squat, Press, Deads; B) Squat, Bench, Chins. I've noticed that 'A' is a much harder workout than 'B', and I think I've realized that it's because bench and chins are upper body only, while press and deads are more whole body. So I think I'm going to swap Bench with OHP, and since I have a weekend before the next workout, it seems like the perfect time to do bench 2 workouts in a row. I think I'll go ahead and shoot for 135 too, heck I did 135 x 4 by accident last week.


Chins felt good, pleased with my 7.5# increases and if anything they seem to be getting easier.

[Beltshumeltz]

I consider chin ups as the most draining exercise after deadlifts (squats are first). Maybe right now you'd be capable of adding 10 pounds to your chin for a while and therefore, you don't find them draining yet?

In terms of weight lifted, chin ups will surpass your other lifts soon I bet. I lift 208 on them vs 170 for benchpress and rows and the range of motion feels much longer too.

BTW I have a new theory on the press. I failed my first set again but did 5 reps easily on the other sets. The difference is that I didn't take my sweet time with them, barely breathed, and above all, made sure to use the stretch reflex at the bottom each rep.

[mikeylikey]

I consider chin ups as the most draining exercise after deadlifts (squats are first). Maybe right now you'd be capable of adding 10 pounds to your chin for a while and therefore, you don't find them draining yet?

It's not so much that the chins are super easy as I think I'm going to start having trouble on deads if i keep squating + pressing before. Switching to benching on deadlift days will give my legs and back a rest between squat + deadlift.

[mikeylikey]

#7 6/7/10
SQ 3x5@185
BP 3x5@135
DL 1X5@215

Had some guy record my squats on my cell phone video camera. The last two looked a bit shallow but I honestly think it was the angle. More of a problem was that my back was too steep and as a result (or perhaps the cause) my knees are going quite a bit past my toes. Will try to upload the vid. Will repeat this weight next time.

Bench was a nice milestone what with the training wheels coming off, I know 135 isn't much but it felt good all the same, especially since I lifted every lb of every rep, unlike the duo doing tandem bench/rows next to me (spotter pulled literally every rep for the full ROM - with admittedly lots more weight).

Deadlift almost gets easier every time I do it, even with 15-20lb increases.

So I'm two weeks in now and it's definately time to start making 5lb jumps on the squat. Deadlift I think I might have one more 15lb increase in me. I might be able to eke out another 10 lb jump on bench and then it's fives. Press feels great and I think I can get to >100lbs in 5lb increments. I've ordered some 1-1/4 plates just in case. Don't know what to expect with the chins.