Darkroman's I-quit-smoking-and-now-it's-time-to-starting-strength...-...again... Log

[Darkroman]

30 lbs. more bodyweight will make a massive difference with chin-ups... I could do 5-6 30 lbs. ago, and now I can do NONE. lol

It'll be interesting to see how I progress in them when I only do them 3 times every 2 weeks though... I want to do them every workout, but the program doesn't call for that. Hell, the official program doesn't actually call to do them at all until you put in the back extensions, but the chin-ups will greatly help my grip strength the most if nothing else which will help my deadlift a lot.

5x3 Squats @ 200lbs
5x3 Press @ 85lbs
5x1 Deadlift @ 255lbs

Today just felt awesome, it was an awesome day. Squats were so freakin solid and they felt easier than the last workout, and the press was strong. The deadlift felt like it did the last 2 workouts despite being 10lbs heavier each time. They're not particularly getting all that much harder, but rather they just hit a nice steady linear spot. My theory is that my deadlift has finally hit a decent training effect to give my squats a nice boost.

Also, I haven't been doing my C2 rowing lately because I have had a slight cold. I don't want to completely destroy myself.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 205lbs
5x3 Bench Press @ 145lbs
3x5 Power Clean @ 125lbs
Pull-ups: 3. 3. 3

Not a bad day today. Pull-ups felt a bit dissappointing, however.
Power cleans were strong. I was originally gonna do them at 115lbs, which I did for the 1st set, but figured it was too light and upped it 10 more pounds. A breeze. Gonna increase by 10lbs next time.
4 more workouts and I'll be at where I stopped last year, but with my deadlift and power clean being farther ahead this time around. Part of me thinks some of the deadlift numbers are also largely GPP based as well. I'm almost fairly certain the HIIT C2 rowing greatly helped my overall GPP, which helped my work capacity and transferred over to my deadlift. Hopefully I'll feel better next coming week and I'll start back on the C2.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 210lbs
5x3 Press @ 90lbs
5x1 Deadlift @ 265lbs

Pretty good workout today. Deadlifts were fun. Starting to feel the strain. Will increase by another 10lbs. Squats were solid. Overhead press is starting to get a little grindy.

[Darkroman]

C2 Rower HIIT 20:100 x 7 1:38 pace average. Even though my pace was not under 1:30, I still did 7 rounds because 5 rounds just seemed easy. Let's see how doing HIIT like this on my off days twice a week works out for me.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 215lbs
5x3 Bench Press @ 150lbs
3x5 Power clean @ 60kg (132lbs)
Chin-ups: 5, 5, 4

Not a bad workout. I'm also a little surprised I went up a rep on each set on the chin-up as well. At least my forearm flexor muscles aren't crying like a bitch this time around. My bench press is still going strong, and so is my squat. I know I'm gonna need to buy some microplates here soon though.
As far as my power clean went, I decided just to go full metric, so only an increase of 7lbs, but I'll increase by 5kg for my next workout.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 220lbs
5x3 Overhead Press @ 95lbs
5x1 Deadlift @ 275lbs

Deadlifts are getting to that point where it's a real grind and a half. I think I might start implementing the back extension recovery days not this upcoming week, but the next week. I'm only gonna do deadlifts once next week.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 225lbs
5x3 Bench Press @ 155lbs
3x5 Power Clean @ 65kg (143lbs)
Pull-ups: 3. 4. 3

I'm pretty much back to where I stopped last year, and I want to keep going! This workout was good, too, except the pull-ups again. I don't know what happened there. I only got an increase of one rep on one set, which was my 2nd set, weird.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 230lbs
5x3 Overhead Press @ 100lbs
5x1 Deadlift @ 285lbs

Workout went really well. Nothing much to report.

[Darkroman]

5x3 Squat @ 235lbs
5x3 Bench Press @ 160lbs
3x5 Power Clean @ 70kg (154lbs)
Chin-ups: 6, 6, 5

First of all, going to the gym during peak hours SUCK. The PTs had their clients at the platform for a good hour, and they were all women. Honestly I probably looked like kind of a creeper standing there for a couple minutes not exactly knowing what was going on. One of the PTs came up to me and asked if I needed a platform, and I said yeah man, I need to do some power cleans. Is there any way I can work in? He said "No there are classes going on right now. The platforms are gonna be taken up for a while." Ugh! Never again will I go to the gym between the hours of 4-9pm, ever. It was also sad seeing the form of some of the ladies doing the cleans by having them swing the bar up on the triple extension rather than dropping under the bar. The coach is there still there like "Alright! Good job! Yeah!", and I'm there shaking my head and face palming violently... in my head that is. I just wanted to take the coach aside and be like "Yo, bruh... she be swingin the bar up, bruh. She gotta drop under dat shit, bruh.. efficiency bruh!". Seriously though, I just wanted to be like HEY YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!

As far as my actual workout went, I can't believe my bench press is still going pretty steady at 5lbs increases each time. Last year I had to do 2.5lbs increases when I got to 140lbs on it I think. Still not near my PR which is 205x5.
My squats went pretty well. Nothing special to report. Looks like I can survive another week without having to move to advanced novice on squats. I am, however, gonna start phase 3 next week and have a back extension recover day.
My power cleans were PHENOMENAL. The 70kg actually went up pretty damn well and fast. My technique is definitely getting better. Also, my racking is definitely getting better. I think it was a mix of just re-watching power clean instructional videos throughout the week, as well as seeing how people were doing them at my gym that helped me tonight. All in all, it went fantastic.

[lacertosus]

quitting smoking is one of a hell achievement, i quit too a year ago, and yes, it's not that hard. It's just matter of thinking.