Taking the plunge

[hondotbt]

Hi all, just started SS 2 weeks ago. 51 years old, 205 BW. I've tried lifting weights several different times in my life and have never had a plan and always ended up with some kind of injury and losing motivation. I'm hopeful that this time around it will stick and become a lifetime habit. I figure that making myself accountable and exposing what I'm doing will help to instill that habit. I had a training session at the Westminster SS club and it was quite inspiring. Biggest issue I'm having right now is with shoulder tightness getting under the bar for squats, but it's gotten looser in just 2 weeks of doing the program.

Tues 10/7
Squat
45 x 5 x 2
60 x 5 x 1
75 x 3 x 1
90 x 2 x 1
105 x 5 x 3

Bench
45 x 5 x 2
65 x 5 x 1
80 x 3 x 1
95 x 2 x 1
115 x 5 x 3

Chins
Green assistance band
4,3,0(negatives b/c I couldn't get a clean pull on 3rd set)

Going to get an addtional resistance band so I can go for more reps on the chins, they're very, very frustrating for me.
The squats left my hips very sore on Wednesday, but they're feeling significantly better today. I still had some in the tank on the bench set, felt encouraged by that. I've been able to do 5 lb progression on my lifts thus far, looking forward to tomorrow's squat/press/DL session.

[hondotbt]

Friday 10/10 Workout.
Squats
WU: 45x5x2, 60x5x2, 70x5x1, 85x3x1, 95x2x1 Work: 110 x 5 rep x 3 sets
PRESS WU: 45x5x2, 55x5x1, 65x3x1, 75x2x1 Work: 85x 5 reps x 3 sets
DL WU: 65x5x3, 100x5x1, 120x3x1, 135x2x1 Work: 155x5, 165x5, 175x5

The first work set of DL felt too easy, so jumped 10lb. Second set I had plenty in tank, so jumped another 10 for 3rd set. Still felt like I could've done more, but it felt GREAT to be jumping.
Squats I'm collapsing knees, I'm still getting shoulder used to getting under the bar, will need to keep more focused on keeping the knees out.
Still have an old habit of lowering the bar slowly during press, leftover from always lifting slow in the past. Shoulder is tweaked, but it's not affecting my lifts, I'm feeling it afterwards. Hold hands out in crucifex position and rotation of left arm rearward is painful, less ROM than right arm. Stretching it out and kneading with lacrosse ball is helping.

[carson]

I always tip my hat to anyone who can do a Low bar back squat especially early on. Are you Low bar or high bar? In any event, good start.
DL: Keep up the good work. Good start.

What is your height? What does WU stand for?

[hondotbt]

Thanks, doing low bar (without the coaching I received at Westminster S&C it wouldn't be possible, but Beau really helped me out a lot). I'm 6-1. WU stands for warm up. BTW, I see that you're a frequent poster, perhaps you could help out with some basic lingo. Should I list the workout as weight x reps x sets or weight x sets x reps. I'm new to this and would like to learn proper nomenclature. Tomorrow is squat, bench and chins day. Looking forward to hitting cleaner form tomorrow than I did Friday doing squats. Appreciate the encouragement.

[carson]

The standard format is: Weight X reps X sets. I'm now in an intermediate program though I still post in beginning. Why? I don't know. That's what Sully does so I follow his example. For starting strength the usual way is to list the various warm ups until one gets to the Work set. Hence if I were still doing that I would post something like this for Squats: 70 (I use a special bar) X 5; 90 X 5; 120 X 5; 150 X 3; 190 X 1; 205 X 5 X 3.

[motor1]

Keep up the good work. I.m a few years older but makng good progress. To Carson..... I have been posting weight,sets then reps

[I_iz_a_fatass]

You won't regret it, seriously. Stay consistent and persistent and the rest will take care of itself.

[hondotbt]

Tu 10/14
Squats 45x5x2;65x5;75x5;85x3;95x1; 115x5x3
BP 45x5;65x5;85x3;95x2;120x5x3;
Chins with Green assistance band: 5, 4, 3

Getting under the bar for squats was brutal on shoulder tightness for first few warm up sets, by the time I was doing worksets though it was very manageable. I'm still struggling with keeping everything in order on the squats, when I hit them with knees out, tight belly and hip drive up, the difference was remarkable. I think I've been collapsing my knees much more than I realized. I think one of the biggest things to overcome is to keep patient and not be intimidated by what other people lift. I also want to rush to get to next workset, tonight I wrote down in my paper journal between sets and put the timer on my phone to force myself to go 3 minutes between worksets. It helped much for slowing me down and writing out some reminders to myself in my notebook and stay in the zone. My 3rd workset of bench I felt like I could've done another 5lbs easy, so I'm thinking about jumping 10lbs next week. Looking forward to going to next size down of resistance band on the chins. That is the one exercise that I've been rushing the most so forcing myself to write and wait and I ended up hitting 3 assisted on my 3rd set. I wrote down in big bold letters as a remnder "IT'S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT" .... don't know if I can remind myself of that too much. Shoulder tweak is still there, but I didn't feel it on bench or chins, more afterwards resting my arm on door frame of the car. Ok, looking forward to Friday and DL's... Be well and thanks for the encouragement, it's greatly appreciated.

[carson]

From your report I think you realize that you don't need to rest between warm ups but you may find that as weights get heavier you may need a longer rest between sets than 3 minutes. I often start pacing at 3-4 minutes but I do realize that sometimes I need 7 or 8 minute rests between sets when I approach the top sets. Good work. Keep it up.

[hondotbt]

Friday, 10/17
Squat: 45x5,60x5,75x5,90x3,105x2,120x5x3
Press: 45x5x2,55x5,65x3,80x2,90x5x3
DL: 65x5,115x5,135x3,155x2,185x5x2,195x5

Squats are still challenging on just remembering to keep good form. First few sets the shoulder pain is predominant factor, but by the time I'm at my work sets the shoulder feels no more than uncomfortable. Last few reps in final set I tapped into some aggression and just got pissed and that seemed to take about 20% of the weight off of the bar. Same thing happened on Press... middle set was very slow and on final set I just kind of got more aggressive and it helped to get to completion. DL I had the same experience as last week... I had enough in the tank to jump my final set and hence did 195 for 5 reps. I know that's not much in comparison to other's here, but for me, that was the first time in my life that I've moved that amount of weight on a bar in any lift at all. An amazing feeling. I keep reminding myself that I'm older(geezer), I'm a novice, and I'm in this for the long haul. I don't know if I'm at 40% of my potential strength or 80% or whatever.... it is what it is. I'm getting stronger every session I lift right now and it's a great feeling. Writing in my log between work sets helped alot to just be patient and realize the I'm letting my body recover, not my ego.