Mike's SS Log

**mikeylikey** · 06-09-2010, 10:41 AM

I feel really good today. I think workout tonight is going to go great. My last workout was two days ago and I have almost no DOMS and lots of energy. I've been making a concious effort to eat more fat for about the last week. Probably doubled my fat intake. It's not that I don't like fat, I just got into a habit of avoiding it when I was on my diet. Full fat cheese, full fat milk (in my shakes; I'm not on gomad) more olive oil, almonds, and avocados. Anyway, seems to be helping.

EDIT: My 1.25 lb olympic plates just arrived. $6.50/pair on amazon (but shipping was $10). Hopefully I won't need them for a while.

**mikeylikey** · 06-10-2010, 09:31 AM

#8 6/9/10
SQ: 3x5@185 (intentional repeat)
P: 3x5@90
Chin: 5@-57.5; 2@-65; Fail

Squatting last night was better than before. Got deeper, concentrated on looking down, hip drive. #3 of 2nd set almost got stuck at the bottom but made it out. Think I'm good to add weight again but definately, definately time for 5lb increases. I just realized that I've added 70lbs since I started. (Actually, I started at 100lbs with DBs and could barely do it so 85 lbs) Time to slow down and make sure I'm doing it right.

Press: A little wobbly on the first rep of each set - started to fall backwards. Last rep on each set was a struggle. I know the book explains it but you really don't realize what a full body move this is until you get more weight up there. Maybe my favorite exercise to do.

Chins: I dunno, maybe too much warmimg up and not enough rest. 1st set was a bitter struggle. 2nd set, 2nd rep, sharp pain in my right shoulder. Definately not just 'teh pump'. Decided to call it a night.

In fact I think I'm going to quit the chins for a while. My right shoulder has always been iffy and chins make it hurt. I'd hate to screw something up and not be able to press. I'm going to try some wide grip pullups and some dips instead, maybe some rows, and what I really should do is just be a man, learn to Power Clean and stop NDTP.

**mikeylikey** · 06-13-2010, 03:44 PM

#9 6/12/10

SQ 3x5@190
BP 3x5@140
DL 3x5@225

Great workout today. Milestones on all three exerciese: >bodyweight on squats, 2 plates on deadlift, and 140# is (sadly) more weight than I have ever bench pressed for any # of reps, let alone sets across.

I took a video of my deadlift and on the last couple of reps my back was rounding slightly. Not real bad but I definately need to work on it. I think I may repeat this weight and then go with 10 lb increases.

**mikeylikey** · 06-15-2010, 05:06 AM

#10 6/14/10

Lousy workout tonight. Shouldn't have even gone to the gym. Didn't eat well over the weekend, had a draining day at the office due to some issues I won't go into. But went anyway, feeling beat up and tired when I got there.

I think it's time to take a step back on squats because something is wrong with my form. Judging from soreness my quads are doing all the work and my hamstrings/glutes not. So I'm lifting my back angle too soon and not driving hips enough. Not rounding at least.

My plan was to start learning power cleans but the gym was so busy there was no space to do it and all the bars were in pretty constant use. So I bailed.

SQ 195x5, 195x4, 195x3
PR 95x5 95x3 90x4

Bodyweight is down 4 pounds from last week after 3 weeks of slow steady gains. Blegh. Time to eat.

**mikeylikey** · 06-21-2010, 09:12 AM

Been awhile since I updated the log, but I've still been getting my workouts in.

#11 6/17/10

Good day. Decided to back off on Squats to 185# after the fail at 195# last time. Good decision. Form was great as far as I am able to judge, reps felt good, went up quickly enough. Had some 'in the tank'. Way better compared to my last time at 185, certainly better than my 'successful' 190 x 3 x 5 - (bad form and high). Think I can go 190 next time.

Bench Press: I might've gotten all reps but dumbass spotter had his hands in my face the whole time = distracting, and then touched my last rep of my last set (while saying, "All you man, all you"). So I guess it doesn't count. Do I have to repeat this weight?

Deadlift. 1st 10lb increase after 15s for a month. Deadlifts don't seem to get harder as the weight goes up. They just stay really really hard :-)

Work Sets Summary:

SQ 185 x 3 x 5
BP 145 x 2 x 5 + 145 x 1 x 4.5 (idiot spotter)
DL 235 x 5

**mikeylikey** · 06-21-2010, 09:25 AM

#12 6/20/10

SQ: 190 x 3 x 5
PR: 95 x 3 x 5 Record
PC: uh, some weight at some reps... see below

Another good workout. Squats infinitely better than last time at 190#, in fact couldn't tell much difference over 185#. Figured out a good way to judge depth - during warmups I scoped out a spot on the wall that I can just see below the back crossbar of the squat rack when I am deep enough. Plus that just so happens to get my head looking in the right direction, and keeps me from looking at my bad self in the mirror, win-win-win.

Press: Totally failed at 95# last time, this time was easy, had could have done more. I haven't been noting records because up till now I really didn't know what my maxes truly were, but since I failed on this weight before I think I can say it's a bona-fide record.

Finally have started learning Power Cleans. I think I am totally butchering these but they're pretty danged fun so I'll persevere. Started with the bar, couldn't get the hang of it, so I added some weight, worked up to 85#, was pretty sloppy but with more weight on there it forced me not to curl the bar up, so I think it helped me get the hang of the movement. Did another dozen or so reps with just the bar, called it a day.

**mikeylikey** · 06-23-2010, 09:26 PM

#13 6/23/10

On SS officially one month. As of today:
Squat 115>>195
Bench 105>>150
Dead 165>>245
Press 70>>95
All 3x5 except deadlift 1x5

Notes about tonight's workout:

Squats were officially a PR (I'm not counting PRs until I hit or better a weight that I've previously failed on). Form has improved in the last week - week +1/2

Bench went fine, glad I didn't repeat last time after spotter helped me. Added 5 lbs anyway, no spotters this time, who needs em. No problem. More weight than I've ever attempted on Bench by the way, but I'm not calling it a PR, see above.

Deadlift felt okay on first 3 reps, then looked in mirror on last 2, saw back rounding slightly. But that may be because I was looking in the mirror. I feel like I do well on the way up and then hunch over setting it down. Did a back-off set at 135 to work on this. I think part of the problem was I cut back on warmups today. Did this: 135x5, 185x5, 225x2, 245x5. I had been doing almost double the warming up and I think I was dumb to do less. I plan to repeat this weight next time only with more warmups.

And dude, deadlifts are so hard. It feels like time is slowing down when I'm pulling.

Back on chins today as shoulder is feeling better. Per some suggestions in the programming section I tried partial ROM: Bar to sternum at the top, but not all the way to dead hang at the bottom. Way easier than dead hangs. But not to worry, got a good pump in teh bicepts.

Today's work sets:
SQ 3 x 5 @ 195 PR
BP 3 x 5 @ 150
DL 5 @ 245
Chins (45deg elbows) 4, 4, 4

**mikeylikey** · 06-25-2010, 09:14 PM

#14 6/25/10

Squat: 3 x 5 @ 200 *PR
Press: 100 x 5, 5, 4 (fail)
Powerclean: Jumped around like a Kansas City Faggot w 65 lbs hanging from my arms.

Squats slow but fine. I am starting to get a better feel for when my form is good, and I figured out how to make sure I'm deep too so that's good.

Press - missed my final rep. Didn't rest enough before my last set, otherwise I think I would have gotten it. Don't feel the need to repeat this weight, although I'm seriously considering going to 2.5lb jumps.

As far as power cleans go, well, bleughg. I'm trying, but they are horrible. Just aweful. Disasterous. My knees are banged up from hitting the bar, my clavicles are banged up from the bar hitting them. Oh well, screw it, I'm going to learn these. But the SS DVD is on it's way, hopefully that is my salvation.

Also did 2x4 pullups, got tired, 4 chinups.