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Thread: Strength Engineer Log

  1. #11
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    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    I'm just curious. You don't seem to be doing Linear Progression. Since you are a novice to SS that is the standard starting place. Why aren't you doing the Linear Progression? Do you have the books? Do you plan a consultation with a certified SS coach?

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by carson View Post
    I'm just curious. You don't seem to be doing Linear Progression. Since you are a novice to SS that is the standard starting place. Why aren't you doing the Linear Progression? Do you have the books? Do you plan a consultation with a certified SS coach?
    Good questions. I am doing linear progression. It's Greyskull LP (LP short for Linear Progression). It's basically just a modified starting strength made by John Schaeffer, who's mentor is Rip, and at one point in time was heavily involved on these forums here before he started doing his own thing. I do have the books and reference them often. Jordan Feigenbaum called the GSLP program "a great novice to intermediate program" GSLP Strength Bias | Barbell Medicine, so it has been approved as a novice program by one of the more influential SSC coaches out there.

    In my intro I kind of explain why I chose to do GSLP this time around instead of out of the box Starting Strength (I did Starting Strength last year before life got in the way and I regretfully de-prioritized my training). Really there is two reasons, the main reason is that I absolutely suck at power cleans. I've tried so hard to get them down, but I just can't seem to get it to click. I've read the book on PC's over and over, I've watched tons of videos of Rip coaching people on PC's, and just can't seem to get it right. I get sharp pain in my shoulders and elbows often when attempting PC's. I just don't have the form right to be able to train power cleans properly under any real load. GSLP uses PC's basically as a warmup to deadlifts. So by doing this I am currently able to take my time, keep weight low on the power clean, focus more on form than on adding weight, keep studying material, and hopefully get a break through on form. At some point I'm likely to have to shell out some cash to work with an actual coach to get this right. The second reason is that I really like the AMRAP 3rd set in GSLP. I feel it has benefitted me in a few ways. One is during a reset it no longer feels like a punishment. I don't feel like I'm wasting my time for weeks going right through territory I've charted before. I'm still pushing for rep PR's at each of those weights. This has done wonders for my motivation. I still feel that excitement to get under the bar even when I'm in a deload stage. Also, I feel it has really helped me learn how to push myself. Instead of stopping at 5 when I still have gas in the tank, I'm learning how to dig deep and muscle out those last couple reps when the weight is still low enough to not get hurt doing so. I'm learning where my body fails vs where my mind fails, and knowing the difference between the two is gaining me a lot of mental toughness in the process (I'm learning that my mind usually wants to give up long before my body). Lastly, the AMRAP has done wonders on my bench and press so far. I've only been doing the program for a month, yet I'm going for a bench PR next time I bench, and considering I just got 10 reps on the AMRAP set in my last workout, I have no doubts I'll hit that PR. I'm stoked to bench next week

    That all being said, I love Starting Strength. I hold Rip in very high esteem. I spend way more time reading these forums and the articles posted on this site than I do on the GSLP site. I actually like Rip more than I like Schaeffer, I'm just trying something new this time around. Will I stick with this forever? Probably not. Likely when I start stalling out I'll transition back over to the Texas Method for my intermediate program. That's my current plan. Hopefully by then I'll have my power clean issues sorted out. When the weight gets into intermediate levels I don't want to be doing AMRAP sets, that just doesn't seem like the best course of action.

    Currently I have not been in contact with an SS coach. It's something I've thought about, but I'm hesitant to go down that road at the moment. For now I'm just trying to get into the community here and I'll likely post some form checks and see how that goes. If I find myself still hitting any roadblock after trying that, I'm totally open to working with an SSC. Hope that answers your questions. Sorry if it was a little long, I just wanted you to know that I've spent a lot of time researching and put a lot of thought into the route I'm taking, it isn't something that I just chose willy nilly. I'm totally open to any suggestions though, if there is something I may be missing please point it out. Thanks for taking the time to drop by and look at my log!
    Last edited by StrengthEngineer; 03-10-2017 at 10:45 AM.

  3. #13
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    3/11/17

    Press 102.5: 5/5/8
    Chin 17.5: 8/8
    Squat 195: 5/5/7

    Thoughts: Good day. Press and chins are still climbing up slowly but surely with no sign of stalling yet. I made some adjustments to my squat that I believe helped. I did a lot of research this week, watching some coaching videos on youtube of Rip, Jordan Feigenbaum, and Austin Baraki. I was able to recognize a couple issues in my form. First I was breaking with my hips first instead of hips and knees together. This was causing my knees to go forward, and on the way back up it was causing me to bobble as my knees readjusted back. This was the "unbalanced" feeling I noted in my last squat workout. Also, I pulled about 2 inches off of my depth. I was going too low. Spent some time sideways in front of the mirror with an empty bar and found the right depth. I can feel the "stretch" in my ham much better with the combination of breaking my knees at the same time and only going just below parallel in depth. I also tried to use Chuck's today instead of running shoes. Not sure how much that helped, but I'm sure it had some difference. The downside of my squat, was that I need to work on my grip. The bar kept sliding down my back slowly but surely, there were a couple times I had to lock out aggressively to boost the bar back up. Also, my left elbow and shoulder joints both became sore during and after my squat sets. Still having some soreness now an hour removed. Gonna spend some time looking back in the book and online this weekend to try and get my grip / bar right because I can't go screwing up my arm joints. I got 7 reps on the AMRAP set, which is huge. I probably could have gotten another one or two if the bar wasn't sliding around. Tuesday is the big do or die day for my new squat form changes. The big 200 is back. I've failed out on 200 the last two times I've tried doing it. Matter of fact I completely failed out on the 3rd rep of the second set last time and had to drop the bar behind me because I couldn't get out of the hole. I need to get through this 200 roadblock. My deadlift is almost 300lbs, this is ridiculous. I have to get this squat moving back in the right direction. I'm only 30lbs more than body weight right now. This is sad that I'm struggling so much with it. On a side note, my Rogue gear still hasn't been delivered. The freaking UPS freight truck broke down on the way to delivering it yesterday, so they had to reschedule to Monday. After all I paid for this gear, and already waiting almost a month, I am so impatient. I just want my gear! Lol. 200 squat is going down on Tuesday, finally!

  4. #14
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    Fellow engineer here (electrical) and just wanted say welcome to the forum. Look forward to reading about your progress!

  5. #15
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    You were kind and patient to go into such detail to answer my questions. Best wishes to you.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by NH_guy View Post
    Fellow engineer here (electrical) and just wanted say welcome to the forum. Look forward to reading about your progress!
    Good to meet you, and thanks for stopping by! Seems like I'm far from the only strength engineer

    Quote Originally Posted by carson View Post
    You were kind and patient to go into such detail to answer my questions. Best wishes to you.
    Thank man. I did take a little bit of your advice by the way. I did send an email to a starting strength coach by me. Still waiting to hear back. Hoping he has some availability. I think I'm going to have to work with someone in person to get my power clean right, I don't think online coaching/form check is going to be enough. It's that bad sadly, haha. My squat can use a little work too. So we will see what comes of that. If I can get my power clean to where I can start increasing load without getting a sharp pain in my shoulder and elbow on the catch I would definitely have no issues going back to the base starting strength program.

  7. #17
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    3/14/17

    Bench 142.5: 5/5/8
    Yates Row 152.5: 8/8
    squat 200: 5/5/5

    Thoughts: Some good, some bad today. Good news first: I just set both bench and squat PR's. After stalling at 200 on SS last year, and again a couple weeks back, I was able to successfully get 3x5 on squat at 200. So my squat is finally unstuck! The bad news is that my elbows hurt like hell, especially my left one. They started on my very first set on the bench and hurt all the way through to the last squat set, and even still now there's a little throbbing. I finally got my new Rogue gear yesterday, so today was the first day with full new gear. Likely it's just an issue adjusting to the new equipment. The new bench is raised up much higher than I'm used to, I had a really hard time getting tight and getting the leg drive I'm used to. Also, the Rogue Ohio bar is a bit different from the bars I've been using to at the gym. I just got to focus a bit on adjusting my form to the new gear. Squat still felt a little off balance. I recorded my last working set, and I definitely could tell I was bobbling forward and backward slightly on the way up on my last couple reps, other than that my form looked pretty solid. Though I did have a little butt wink on my second to last rep. I'm gonna find a way to get my video from my iPhone online and post it for a form check. If my balance were right, I probably could have gotten another rep or two. I'm noticing a pattern, balance is everything. Going to bite the bullet and get some actual squat shoes I think. I have good dorsiflexion, but still everything I read says that it helps with balance in the squat. My power clean also sucks, so maybe, just maybe they will make a difference???

  8. #18
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    3/16/17

    Squat 205: 5/5/5
    Press: 105 4, 95 5/5
    DL 295: 5
    Chin: did not do because of shoulder pain.

    Thoughts: Well I'm back to doing Starting Strength. I did get in contact with an SSC near me because of the elbow and shoulder pain I've been having. I need to work with someone in person to fix whatever is causing the joint pain. He is out of town this week so I have an appointment with him on the 25th. In the meantime, back to SS only substituting PC's with snatches until I can work PC's with him, because I get no pain with the snatch. I posted a form check on my last squat and got some feedback that I was over exaggerating the foot angle. Brought that back to 30 degrees today and focused on pushing my knees out. Still some knee bobble. I recorded all 3 sets this time, I'll post them for more feedback today. I did notice a pattern that the 3rd rep seems to always be the sloppiest one in each of my sets. I had a bad day on the press today. The weight felt so much heavier today for some reason. This is my first press workout on my new equipment, so likely it's just something different with the equipment. Either way I did feel some shoulder pain, and failed at on the last rep of the first set, so I just deloaded to 95. There's no point hurting myself when I'm meeting next week with a coach to work on form. I know the press can be a very picky lift, so I'm not too worried about taking a little deload right now, especially in light of working on all new equipment. Deadlift was great today. Being in my own garage I was able to deadlift without shoes. I ripped through that 295 set quite well. It was definitely heavy, but I think I'm in good position to at progress through to the big 3 plate 315 milestone without any roadblocks. Speaking of which, I guess I should order a 3rd set of 45s soon.... that will be much easier that loading tons of small plates.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrengthEngineer View Post
    3/16/17

    Squat 205: 5/5/5
    Press: 105 4, 95 5/5
    DL 295: 5
    Chin: did not do because of shoulder pain.

    Thoughts: Well I'm back to doing Starting Strength. I did get in contact with an SSC near me because of the elbow and shoulder pain I've been having. I need to work with someone in person to fix whatever is causing the joint pain. He is out of town this week so I have an appointment with him on the 25th. In the meantime, back to SS only substituting PC's with snatches until I can work PC's with him, because I get no pain with the snatch. I posted a form check on my last squat and got some feedback that I was over exaggerating the foot angle. Brought that back to 30 degrees today and focused on pushing my knees out. Still some knee bobble. I recorded all 3 sets this time, I'll post them for more feedback today. I did notice a pattern that the 3rd rep seems to always be the sloppiest one in each of my sets. I had a bad day on the press today. The weight felt so much heavier today for some reason. This is my first press workout on my new equipment, so likely it's just something different with the equipment. Either way I did feel some shoulder pain, and failed at on the last rep of the first set, so I just deloaded to 95. There's no point hurting myself when I'm meeting next week with a coach to work on form. I know the press can be a very picky lift, so I'm not too worried about taking a little deload right now, especially in light of working on all new equipment. Deadlift was great today. Being in my own garage I was able to deadlift without shoes. I ripped through that 295 set quite well. It was definitely heavy, but I think I'm in good position to at progress through to the big 3 plate 315 milestone without any roadblocks. Speaking of which, I guess I should order a 3rd set of 45s soon.... that will be much easier that loading tons of small plates.
    Well, Strengineer, glad you found an SSC - mind me asking who? It's a small community. The press often has big ups and downs - just keep pushing, ad focus on getting tight and maintain form. And I agree on the home gym - after a few months in a gym I bought my own Rogue stuff and never looked back. ROI is a year or two, much less if you value your time. It's less entertaining but much more efficient - which we engineers appreciate, right? That justifies new plates in a heartbeat! I was thrilled when I had to order an extra pair, but unfortunately I don't think I'll ever need more 45s.

  10. #20
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by peez View Post
    Well, Strengineer, glad you found an SSC - mind me asking who? It's a small community. The press often has big ups and downs - just keep pushing, ad focus on getting tight and maintain form. And I agree on the home gym - after a few months in a gym I bought my own Rogue stuff and never looked back. ROI is a year or two, much less if you value your time. It's less entertaining but much more efficient - which we engineers appreciate, right? That justifies new plates in a heartbeat! I was thrilled when I had to order an extra pair, but unfortunately I don't think I'll ever need more 45s.
    The SSC I'm going to be working with is Robert Santana. Next Saturday will be my first session with him, going over form on the big 4. I love having my own gear now! No more waiting for squat racks, 45lb bars, etc. I'm also a fairly introverted person, so it's nice to not have all the people everywhere when I'm trying to do work. The only downside is I live in Phoenix, it might be a little uncomfortable this summer, hahaha. I'm going to buy a evaporative cooler and hope that helps. So far, it's been unseasonably warm this week (highs in low 90s) and it's been great out there. I hope to one day get one more pair of 45s after this one... 4 plate deadlift would be amazing at my size!

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