Welcome. Keep up the good work and eat. 183 is not heavy at 6'1". Post videos if you can.
Been quite frustrated with my progress on SS. I started it in October and barely improved my lifts, stalled often etc. Still, I don't give up easily. After starting to finally track calories and protein intake and getting some better sleep I started getting stronger in January, and while I still stall (especially on the presses) I'm looking to solve that issue as well, or maybe just accept that I won't have LP - don't want to risk getting too fat.
Male, 185 cm / 6 ft 1, 83 kg / 183 lbs
23 years of age
I'm not doing strict SS - I'm using a variation of Babylover's routine (link here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=135564721 )
I train 3 times a week though. I've added pullups at the end of workout 1, and instead of power cleans/barbell rows I use cable rows and Lat pulldowns at the end of workout 2 to work the upper back.
I'll start with last week up until today. The weight numbers are retarded because the gym I go to has mostly fake olympic bars - me and a friend measured it and it weighted about 17 to 17.5 kg. Rounded it to 17 kg, but I make sure to use the fake one everytime (there is one real olympic bar but I don't use it usually since it's taken most of the time).
Monday, 27th of January:
Squat
Warmup sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 5, 67 kg x 3, 77 kg x 2, 82 kg x 1
Work sets
87 kg x 3 x 5
Pausing alot before 4th and especially 5th rep but I did it. This was my PR.
Have to mention that when squatting I often 'slide' a bit to the right and forward but I correct my posture on the way up. It's like my knees (especially the right one) is unstable. Still, this shouldn't happen.
Bench Press
Warmup sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 4, 57 kg x 3, 62 kg x 2, 67 kg x 1
Work sets
69.5 kg x 2 x 5, 69.5 kg x 4
Last rep of last set I got some help from my spotter iirc, but I decided to progress next workout anyway.
Lat pulldown
Warmup sets
40 kg x 5
Work sets:
45 kg x 7, 45 kg x 6, 45 kg x 6
Cable row (supinated grip):
Warmup sets
50 kg x 3
Work sets
55 kg x 3 x 8
I use 3 minute rest intervals for these two accessory exercises.
Wednesday, 29th of January:
Squat
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 5, 67 kg x 3, 77 kg x 2, 82 kg x 1, 87 kg x 1
Work sets
89.5 kg x 3 x 5
Pretty heavy, difficulty similar to last workout. Back to back PR, rarely get these.
Overhead Press
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 27 kg x 4, 37 kg x 3, 42 kg x 0
Work sets
39.5 kg x 3, 37 kg x 4, 37 kg x 4
I don't remember the exact numbers cause my cellphone app doesn't record all the logs, but I do remember that my plan here was to go for a PR at 44.5 kg x 5, but I failed to warmup at 42 kg lol. Was terrible. My recovery was great before that and I set a squat PR, so I was even more baffled. From what I could tell my left arm was much weaker that day, it was obvious that was the reason why I couldn't lift properly (it was lagging behind the right arm considerably from what I could tell). Didn't have any pain in my left arm that day.
Deadlift
Warm up sets
57 kg x 5, 67 kg x 4, 77 kg x 3, 87 kg x 1
Work sets
92 kg x 1 x 5
Felt heavy, which sucks since this is pretty low weight for a deadlift. Used a mixed grip since overhand grip made me fail this same weight last time and I didn't want to repeat it again. PR!
Pullups:
Couldn't do a single real pullup, which is a regression from previous workouts when I could do one, even two or three. Felt the same weakness in the left hand as with the OHP.
So I had to do negative pullups this time:
7x, 6x, 6x, 5x, 4x
1 minute rest intervals
Friday, 31st of January:
Had a test early that morning so I got like 7 hours of sleep, maybe less. Didn't expect my performance to be good.
Squat
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 5, 67 kg x 3, 77 kg x 2, 82 kg x 1, 87 kg x 1
Work sets
92 kg x 3, 92 kg x 2, 87 kg x 4
Had a spotter for this, and boy did I need one. Form breaking up pretty bad at 3rd rep of first set, decided to go for one more anyway. Got help to lift the 4th rep.
2nd set I did 2 real reps, and last one the spotter touched the bar so I didn't count that either. Reverted to 87 kg and I couldn't even bust out 5 reps, think I even got help on the 4th rep (but I probably could've lifted it solo, just that my spotter touched the bear to correct my path I think)
Bench press
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 4, 57 kg x 3, 62 kg x 2, 67 kg x 1
Work sets
72 kg x 3, 2 ,2
Expected not to be able to lift this. Bar feels quite heavy even at lower weights. Sucks that my upper body is so weak, since aesthetics are my priority and one of the hallmarks of a perfect male physique is the v-taper.
Had a spotter and he helped me with the 4th rep of the 1st set, and subsequently on the 3rd reps of the rest of the sets.
Lat pulldown:
Warmup sets
40 kg x 5
Work sets:
45 kg x 6, 40 kg x 8, 40 kg x 9
Weaker than last time. Another failure of the upper body... welp.
Cable rows (supinated grip):
Warmup sets
none
Work sets:
55 kg x 11, 55 kg x 2 x 10
At least something I improved at. Would've gone up with weights but the next jump on the machine is 10 kgs (up to 65 kg).
Welcome. Keep up the good work and eat. 183 is not heavy at 6'1". Post videos if you can.
This week's workouts so far - pretty bad.
Monday, 3rd of February
Squat
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 5, 67 kg x 3, 77 kg x 2, 82 kg x 1, 87 kg x 1
Work sets
92 kg x 4, 3, 3
Better than last time, but form was quite bad. Lower back pain starting to creep up.
Overhead Press
Warm up sets
Bar x 6, 27 kg x 4, 37 kg x 2, 42 kg x 1
Work sets
44.5 kg x 2, 42 kg x 2 x 4
Well, didn't advance like I was hoping to. Didn't even up my PR (which is 44.5 kg x 3). Couldn't even hit 5 reps on the lower weight. Fuckin A I'm terrible at OHP.
Deadlift
Warm up sets
57 kg x 5, 67 kg x 4, 77 kg x 3, 87 kg x 2, 92 kg x 1
Work sets
97 kg x 0, 92 kg x 1 x 5
As you can see, I tried a 5 kilo jump (since it's the deadlift) and I couldn't even lift the weight off the ground hahah. I tried twice. Maybe I could've done it but I might've been scared due to lower back aggravation (that got worse after the squats this workout). Dropped down to the weight from last time and I barely got the 5 reps, it was damn heavy. Not sure if back rounded.
Pullups:
Could barely do one real pullup this time. Kept doing them anyway, sets of 1 starting with 40 second intervals and going all the way up to 2 minute intervals.
Work sets
1 x 15 (15 sets)
Last 6 sets or so my chin wouldn't go over the bar completely, but I guess this is better than negs.
Wednesday, 5th of February - today!
Squat
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 5, 67 kg x 3, 77 kg x 2, 82 kg x 1, 87 kg x 1
Work sets
92 kg x 2, 1, 87 kg x 3
Legs still felt a bit sore from last workout. I slept for 9-10 hours each of the previous days. I guess I'm really spent on these, even with these pathetic weights... welp. I was more conservative than usual with the reps due to not having a good spotter around, so maybe I could've gotten more, but I had to take quite some breaks inbetween reps to get the ones I did - heavier than ever, that's for sure. And as you can see, couldn't even do 4 reps of the 87 kg.
Didn't think I'd make it anyway. Kind of glad I get to reset - I get quite anxious before these 'heavy' squats, especially when I don't have my friend around. He's the only guy who I can trust to spot me well, other people usually help too soon because they see the bar go quite slow, but I lift it anyway in the end.
I'll have to work on my form again, and this time I'll put in much more effort. Hell I'll deload a ton if I have to just to get it right. My depth is all over the place - sometimes I go all the way down, sometimes I cut it. And of course, lower back started hurting quite a bit today cause of these squats. Was aggravated from last workout's squats and deads, and now I got hammered.
It's weird - when I had the bar with all the weights for my work set on my back, I could feel the lower back pain a bit, and I couldn't really push out my chest that well to combat this.
Bench Press
Warm up sets
Bar x 5, 47 kg x 4, 57 kg x 3, 62 kg x 2, 67 kg x 1
Work sets
72 kg x 1 x 2,1
Worse than last time. Spotter helped me on the 3rd rep for the first 2 sets, and the 2nd rep on the last set. Rest time 5 minutes as usual.
Hoped I could improve on this at least, since I thought the poor squat was just due to not recovering my legs enough. Seems something else is wrong considering I regressed on this.
Lat pulldown
Warm up sets:
30 kg x 5
Work sets:
45 kg x 9,9,8
Better than ever. Not really satisfied cause this is really weak, but some progress is better than no progress.
Cable row
Warm up sets:
55 kg x 4
Work sets:
61 kg x 2 x 8, 7
Figured a way to safely add weight to the machine - just used two 3 kg dumbbells and placed them on the machine weights. Didn't fall down while pulling. Useful before I get to 65 kg.
Improvement since last time I guess. More weight and a decent number of reps. If my lower back wasn't hurting while trying to keep my back tight here, I might've done even more.
So yeah my lower back is in bad shape today. Don't want to injure myself, advice? How much weight should I drop on squats, 10 kg? And should I keep my deads at 97 kg next time?
I recommend this: http://barbellmedicine.com/2013/07/2...strength-make/ -- I think you are making several mistakes here, as I did the first time I tried SS.
You don't need spotters for squats and deadlift (I assume you have a squat rack or power rack). Do those first, so you don't injure your back.
Read this for how to make a video for a form-check: https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/showthread.php?t=16744
There's a squat rack but it can be tricky to land the bar on the rack when you're failing. Getting it up again ain't that much of a problem I guess, can always ask a dude to help you lift it up (unless it's got a ton of weights, which is one of my goals XD). And here's why it's tricky - see this picture:
Well, that's how most squat racks I looked up on google pictures look. But the squat rack in our gym doesn't have the horizontal bar that extends from the rack from both sides, so you have to aim for the hooks or drop it on the ground. Fucking ghetto gym man :P
Btw, I posted some form vids a while ago in this thread so I'm not new to doing that:
http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=45473
Edit:
Last edited by taxcollector; 02-05-2014 at 02:10 PM.
Hi there! I followed you over here from your other thread.
I used to do a lot of lat pulldowns, and honestly they didn't do anything for my pull-ups. Well, I train chin-ups, but I don't think it's all that different. Lat pulldowns got me to sets of one chin-up. Sound familiar? And I don't have bands, either. To progress to two pull-ups, I really used negatives. Chin-up once under my own power, slooooooow negative. Repeat. This got me to two chin-ups. I then used slow negatives on the second of the set. After I started hitting three in a row, I stopped doing negatives, and focused on getting as many chin-ups as I could. Also, I don't know if you talk to yourself in the gym the same way that you write about yourself here, but it helps me if I tell myself, "You got x chin-ups last time, you stressed your muscles, and then you ate and slept and they've recovered and are stronger, and there is no excuse for not being able to hit x+1 chin-ups this time. Do it. Stop making excuses." If I think, "Oh damn, this is hard", then I just won't get them.
As far as recording lifts, I take a box that's around for box jumps and step ups, find a dumbbell with polygonal ends (not round), put the dumbbell on the box, and then prop my phone up on the box against the dumbbell. Not that it's ideal, but it works.
What about doing chins instead of the pullups? That's what Rip programs. The reasoning is simple. Chins are easier because they recruit more muscles into the lift. Chins are easier, so you can get your reps and start adding weight to them earlier. Chins work your biceps. Nobody wants small biceps. Therefore, do chin-ups.