Thanks, Runner. I have struggled with progress on my Bench and Press since leaving Novice LP behind...still working to figure out the best intermediate programming for myself. Not a whole lot of strict overhead pressing occurring in Martha's Gym, so I guess I'm the strongest Presser
Blandrick,
I weigh about 245 right now (which is way to much body fat for me to be carrying), so I'm no where near a BW Press. I have begun my semi-annual battle to slim down to meet Navy standards, so I will probably lose some ground with both Bench and Press weights. I look and feel best when I'm around 220ish--so I am going to work to cut some inches off the belly while I keep training.
My current goals are to Bench 275 and Press 225 at a body weight of 220 or less. Probably overly ambitious for me, but it's a target I'm gunning for.
It's funny, but I've head from some of the Senior Enlisted on board that I've developed a little bit of a reputation and have earned a little street cred in the gym with the strong dudes. A couple of the Sailors that work for me, and work out with me, have inflated my lift numbers considerably--one of the Engineering Department Senior Chiefs asked me if it was true I could Squat and Deadlift over 600. (I wish--someday, though.)
So, I have used my new-found fame to highlight Starting Strength. I have actually been doing quite a bit of coaching on the Squat and Deadlift lately--right now I have a waiting list since I only have a limited time to hit the gym. I've seen half a dozen newly received copies of SSBBT3 walking around the ship--that makes me happy.
The only people's chops I bust on are the Kool-Aide drinking Crossfitters or the Gym Bro's that routinely say something completely assine: "Bro, Look up!", "Bro, you're going too deep on those Squats-you'll fuck up your knees!", etc..
I reserve true contempt for a number of skinny, frail guys
that have asked me for help in gaining weight/muscle/strength--guys that have taken a decent amount of my time while I explained the program and taught/coached them the lifts--and then completely disregarded my advice (i.e. diet and programming) while bitching that they are "hard gainers" without reading the book, of course. I think I understand Rip's pain.
During our last major maintenance period in port, there were some major problems with a planned high-risk evolution that required diver support (to ensure no flooding occured whle changing out some seawater system valves). Things were not going well, due to some problems with the Divers blowing off requirements. I was sent in to regulate and get us back on schedule. I ended up getting into the knickers of the wrong Dive Supervisor--a 20ish young guy that looked like a statue of a Greek god and who could have crushed me--and he just stood there and took it. After I left the space, the Ship's Safety Officer approached him and asked him way he didn't tell me that I was yelling at the wrong guy? He said, "DCA is a big motherfucker--he would've kicked my ass!" This also made me happy, in a primal manly sort of way. I felt bad that I had gone off on the wrong guy, and I made sure I found him and apologized to him, but it's a fringe benefit that I have to put up with noticably less smart-ass remarks and back-talk than I did a year or two ago. (I don't think it's a rank issue--I've been the same rank for over 6 years now.)
Originally Posted by Joe Leppo
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