Fat nerd to Strong nerd

[Mugaaz]

Male
6'4, 270lbs

Background:
I started following SS routine July 1st at 303lbs. Have not missed a workout since except for emergency work travel and Thanksgiving vacation. I don't have any training partner or people to ask for advice besides book/dvd/forum. I've injured myself several times, but never too seriously or without trying to learn from the mistakes.

I've changed my diet several times to try to improve my fat loss results or make it easier to follow. I've never cheated on what my diet plans were, which I'm proud of. However, some of the original things I tried were BS. I am absolutely not doing the program in regards to nutrition. I have been on RFL diet since November 1st (except for week of vacation).

As my diet has gotten stricter and stricter it definitely has impacted my performance, but not really in the way people here on the forums seem to describe. I've been on a deficit since day 1, and if it's impacted my gains it not through stalls, but just slower rate of gain. The biggest place I feel it is the second/third compound lift during a session, where I will have absolutely nothing in the tank. Usually results in something like 5/3/3 reps for work set.

Goals:
My 6-9month goal is to stay on a calorie deficit until I'm around 34-36" waist, while trying to become as strong as possible in the meantime. It's more than fair to say I'm not doing the program. However, SS was the only program I read that seemed to have any semblance of logic or expertise, and it has fit my goals for strength training while I drop the fat. I've decided that this is going to be a new way of life for me, not a temporary diet. When I reach my fat loss goals I plan to transition to TM or similar.

Starting Stats > Current Stats
303lbs > 270lbs
49" waist > 43.5" waist
90lb SQ > 220x5 SQ
90lb BP > 185x5 BP
115lb DL > 290x5 DL
60lb Press > 120x5 Press

You can see past daily logs here: https://www.fitocracy.com/profile/Mugaaz

Any and all advice / encouragement is appreciated.

[Mugaaz]

Barbell Deadlift
135 lb x 5 reps
185 lb x 5 reps
235 lb x 3 reps
275 lb x 2 reps
295 lb x 3 reps
295 lb x 3 reps (PR)
Don't know what happened today, weird tingling electricity in the quads followed by total failure.

Elliptical Trainer
00:12:00

Lat Pulldown
100 lb x 10 reps
120 lb x 8 reps
140 lb x 5 reps
170 lb x 3 reps
185 lb x 5 reps
185 lb x 4 reps
185 lb x 5 reps (PR)
Grip completely failed last 2 sets

Barbell Curl
70 lb x 8 reps
70 lb x 7 reps
70 lb x 7 reps
70 lb x 4 reps

[Mugaaz]

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (OHP)
50 lb x 10 reps
65 lb x 10 reps
85 lb x 5 reps
105 lb x 3 reps
115 lb x 2 reps
125 lb x 5 reps
125 lb x 5 reps
125 lb x 5 reps (PR)

Barbell Squat
95 lb x 5 reps
95 lb x 5 reps
135 lb x 5 reps
165 lb x 5 reps
195 lb x 3 reps
215 lb x 2 reps
225 lb x 4 reps (PR)
225 lb x 3 reps
225 lb x 3 reps

Got to gym a little late, so had to cut it short. Was very surprised I was able to just jump 5 on the OHP, considering I was stuck trying it hit 3x5@ 120 for a long time. Moved on to squat, but just couldn't get 5, don't understand. 220 didn't feel overly hard, but couldn't hit 5 on these. Will try one more time.

[Simon Rest]

welcome mugazz. Doing SS on a defecit is rough, and I applaud your efforts. It looks like you have still made good progress.

and I'm not too sore that you've ripped off my thread title

[CraigDuffield]

Welcome. Good job on making it work for you (caloric deficit and still pushing the weights up).

WRT following the program - why did you decide to not follow the novice program (Squat, Bench/Press, DL/Powerclean) and sub in lat pulldowns and curls instead of chins?

I think everyone finds that the last exercise is harder than the first. Might be time to allow a little more recovery/rest time when nearing the end of the workout.

[Mugaaz]

Welcome. Good job on making it work for you (caloric deficit and still pushing the weights up).

WRT following the program - why did you decide to not follow the novice program (Squat, Bench/Press, DL/Powerclean) and sub in lat pulldowns and curls instead of chins?

I think everyone finds that the last exercise is harder than the first. Might be time to allow a little more recovery/rest time when nearing the end of the workout.

Pulldown variants are substituting for pull ups, because I'm still to heavy to do one. I skipped on power clean early on just because it was too much to digest, and never rethought it. Recently revisited it and will learn the movement after I learn press 2.0. As far as curls go, the one change I had to make to the program is I simply cannot do 3 compound lifts in one day, or squat and DL on the same day. Just doesn't work no matter how hard I try. So for the 3rd lift of the day I'll do some accessory, and usually just cycle LTE, Curls, and Calf Raises. The last two really have not had any impact on recovery, and help placate my vanity. Being on a deficit / low carb does not seem to impact my workout to workout recovery all that dramatically, but it does have a monumental impact on the amount of work I can put into one session, and hurts me in the later sets / later reps more dramatically.

Also, sorry for stealing Log title, didn't see it was used already =p.

[CraigDuffield]

I simply cannot do 3 compound lifts in one day, or squat and DL on the same day. Just doesn't work no matter how hard I try.

Got it. Seems thought out, and certainly seems like it's working for you. Looking forward to following along.

[Mugaaz]

Elliptical Trainer
00:12:00

Barbell Squat
45 lb x 5 reps
45 lb x 5 reps
95 lb x 5 reps
135 lb x 5 reps
165 lb x 5 reps
195 lb x 3 reps
215 lb x 2 reps
225 lb x 5 reps
225 lb x 4 reps
225 lb x 4 reps

Barbell Bench Press
45 lb x 15 reps
45 lb x 12 reps
95 lb x 5 reps
135 lb x 5 reps
155 lb x 5 reps
175 lb x 5 reps
185 lb x 5 reps
185 lb x 3 reps
185 lb x 5 reps

Didn't rest long enough between sets for 2nd set of BP. Squats are getting out of control, I am finding it very difficult to replicate form at this weight. Some of them end up with me doing some sort of hip raise followed by a good morning. Find it strange that I didn't really have issues at 220, but 5 more on top of that and everything is coming apart.

[Mugaaz]

Barbell Deadlift
135 lb x 5 reps
185 lb x 5 reps
225 lb x 3 reps
275 lb x 2 reps
295 lb x 5 reps (PR)
Fuck yeah, holy shit was that hard

Lying Barbell Triceps Extension
45 lb x 8 reps
65 lb x 8 reps
65 lb x 8 reps
65 lb x 8 reps

Elliptical Trainer
00:06:00

Lat Pulldown
100 lb x 10 reps
120 lb x 8 reps
140 lb x 5 reps
165 lb x 5 reps
190 lb x 5 reps (PR)
Pain in elbow decided to stop

[Mugaaz]

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (OHP)

45 lb x 10 reps
65 lb x 5 reps
85 lb x 5 reps
105 lb x 3 reps
130 lb x 4 reps (PR)
130 lb x 3 reps
125 lb x 3 reps
Trying to learn new press technique , too heavy to learn. Will make next press session a learning day.

Barbell Squat

45 lb x 5 reps
45 lb x 5 reps
95 lb x 5 reps
135 lb x 5 reps
165 lb x 5 reps
195 lb x 3 reps
225 lb x 5 reps
225 lb x 5 reps
225 lb x 5 reps
Finally managed to hit all my reps. Form better than before, but still doing good mornings when it gets heavy though

Elliptical Trainer

00:06:00

Seated Calf Raise

25 lb x 10 reps
35 lb x 10 reps
45 lb x 10 reps
60 lb x 10 reps
70 lb x 10 reps