Dropping a log

[Thomas Lucero]

Hi starting strength family. I'm starting this log to chronicle my strength journey and hopefully get advice from you all along the way. A little about me. I'm a 37 year old man, 5'11", 183 lbs, slender physique, narrow shoulders, trying to get stronger and put on mass. I served in the US Navy for 6 years as a technician on submarines and navy scuba diver. Physical standards in the Navy, particularly diver training, emphasized endurance, running and body-weight exercises, which I was able to excel at with my body type. I ran in junior high and high school, and completed a marathon in 2004 and half in 2014. After the Navy I went to college, medical school, residency, and now I'm completing Cardiology fellowship. Residency and fellowship have led to heavy work-load and inconsistent hours, and limited opportunity (and energy) to devote to training. I tried crossfit during my 3rd year of residency (when medical training slowed down). I loved the intensity of crossfit, and honestly I got in great shape that year; a bit bigger muscles, much more toned, even had "ahbs" (in Rip's voice). But the blessing and curse of crossfit is the group setting and competitive nature, with inadequate supervision during complex lifts, and so started to notice nagging injuries. Tweaky shoulders and elbows, screwy left hip, and so on. Plus it was ridiculously expensive. So for those reasons, and the beginning of fellowship, with the added work hours that entailed, I stopped crossfit and since then (about 2 years), I've done little more than running every now and then with my wife, and the occasional set of push ups or body weight squats in the park. Thus I've lost all of those "fitness gains", including muscle mass, strength, and tone. I have a slender body shape, so I'll never be a fat guy, but now I'm feeling like a "skinny fat" guy, which I'd like to change. Most recently I've started my 3rd and final year of fellowship, and I have much more time to devote again to fitness, so one of the major things I'm committed to this year is getting back on the train, and this time with a more effective program. I found information online about starting strength and it really resonated with me, so I bought the book and was sold. Up until now I've focused on *exercise*, which has gotten me modest results, but I'm tired of running all day, and while crossfit got me "fitter", even then I recognize I didn't get "stronger"; The most I'd ever back squatted was 165 pounds, and that felt like lifting the earth to me. I want to get stronger, and in so doing, bigger. So that's where I've been and where I'm at. Wish me luck 👍💪👊

[peez]

Wish me luck ������

Well, Good Luck then!

Hard work and consistent effort will get you further though, based on what you've done so far I suspect you can handle SS LP and an appropriate follow-on program.

Welcome to the forum!

[Thomas Lucero]

Thanks Peez! I appreciate the welcome.

So this is where I'm at over the last 5 weeks since starting training:

6/29/17 Thursday:
Squat:
45# x 5 x 2
65# x 5 x 3

OHP:
45# x 5 reps x 2 sets
55# x 5 x 4

DL:
45# x 5
65# x 5
95# x 5 x 3

Dips:
BW x 6 x 3

Chins:
BW x 5 x 3

Low to high cable pulleys:
10# x 8
15# x 8 x 3

BB curls:
45# x 6 x 3

Starting off with very modest weights, getting my joints and tendons back in gear.

7/3/17 Monday:
Squat:
45# x 5 x 2
65# x 5
75# x 5 x 3

BP:
45# x 5
95# x 5
135# x 5 x 5

DL:
65# x 5
95# x 5
115 x 5 x 3

Dips:
BW x 6 x 3

DB rows:
30# x 8
60# x 5

Leg Lifts (abs):
20 x 3

DB Chest Flys:
30# x 8
35# x 6 x 3

Trying to stick to the major lifts, but its hard to stay away from the mirror muscle workouts!

7/4/17 Tuesday: (workout at my apartment)
OHP:
70# x 6 x 3 (work-set)

Chins:
6 x 5

DB Curls:
25# x 8 x 3

DB Chest Flys:
15# x 8 x 3

Here's a good time to mention my apartment has small gym with a 1.5" barbell, but is much shorter, and weighs only 30#. And there's no bench or squat rack. So on the days that I work out in my apt I can do OHP, DL, dips, and chins, but no BP or Squat. I'll tend to substitute the barbell squat with 35# weight vest squat with higher reps.

7/6/17 Thursday:
Squats:
45# x 5
65# x 5
85# x 5 x 3

BP:
45# x 5
95# x 5
115# x 5
145# x 5 x 5

DL:
65# x 5
95# x 5
135# x 5 x 3

Dips:
BW x 8 x 3

Chins:
BW x 7 x 3

My BP has typically been stronger than my squat or deadlift (or more appropriately my Sq and DL have just been weak ha). I believe this is just because in the Navy and college I would bench. So for BP I'm doing heavier weights, and doing 5 x 5 sets instead of 5 x 3 sets for more volume, as long as I can. Also I'm going to stop listing my warm-up sets because this is taking forever ha - you get the idea: I have a pretty gradual warm-up to my work sets.

7/8/17 Saturday:
SQ:
35# weight vest x 15 x 3

OHP:
80# x 5 x 5

DL:
140# x 5 x 3
I know I'm not supposed to do 3 sets of DLs, but its so light at this point I'm just doing more sets to nail down the form.

Dips:
BW x 9 x 3

DB chest flys:
35# x 7 x 3

7/9/17 Sunday: (work-out at my apartment gym)
Chins:
BW x 8,8,5
Couldn't quite get the last set

DB incline curls:
35# x 8 x 3

I've always loved DB incline bicep curls, I love the stretch and feel in the forearms.

7/10/17 Monday: (Workout at my apt gym)
Toes to bar:
8,5,5

Z presses on the floor
55# 20,12,12
If you guys haven't tried Z presses, they feel great for the core and shoulders.

Farmer's Walk:
60# DBs x 30 sec x 4 sets

7/12/17 Wednesday:
Squats:
95# x 5 x 3

BP:
155# x 5 x 3
R shoulder a little tweaky so I went for only 3 sets

DL:
155# x 5 x 3

Dips:
BW x 9 x 3

Chins:
BW x 9,9,5

Farmer's Carry:
65# x 30 sec x 4

I love farmer carries. My grip is weak, and I have relatively thin forearms, so I feel it hits that well.

7/14/17 Friday:
Squats:
100# x 5 x 3

OHP:
85# x 5 x 3

DL:
165# x 5 x 2

Dips:
BW x 10 x 3

Chins:
BW x 9,5,6

Farmer's Carry:
53# x 60 sec x 3

7/16/17 Sunday: (workout at apt)
Leg lifts:
20 x 3

DB curls:
30# x 12 x 3

Farmer Carries:
60# 45 sec x 2, then 35 sec.
Lost the grip on the last set

Low to high chest pulleys:
40# x 10 x 3

7/17/17 Monday:
Squats:
105# x 5 x 3

BP:
165# x 5 x 5

Power Cleans:
95# x 3 reps x 5 sets
Time to add the power cleans. Felt great.

Dips:
25# weighted belt x 5 x 3
Felt great with the weighted belt, even though I did heavy BP today.

Chins:
BW x 6 x 3
Went with less reps on the chins because I think I messed up my shoulder on the heavy 60# farmer carries the other day.

This is when I started to realize I needed to minimize the accessory exercises, and really focus on the major lifts.

7/19/17 Wednesday:
Squats:
115# x 5 x 3
Started to use knee braces, which helped my knees feel much more stable. Been using them every work-out since.

OHP:
95# x 5 x 3

DL:
175# x 5 x 2

Dips:
25# x 6 x 3

BB curls with EZ bar
55# x 6 x 3
I have tweaky wrists, so the EZ bar feels better than a straight bar

7/20/17 Thursday: (work-out at hotel gym)
Burpees:
15 burpees x 3 sets

Push-ups:
15 x 3

Incline DB press:
50# x 10 x 3

Chest DB Flys:
30# x 10 x 3

Incline DB curls:
25# x 8 x 3

Neck felt really tweaky today. I think I pulled something while dead-lifting recently.

7/23/17 Saturday: (workout at apt gym)
Squats:
42# weighted vest x 20 x 3

OHP:
100# x 5 x 3

DL:
180# x 5 x 2
My DLs are getting to the weight where I need to use over-under grip or else it slips.

Dips:
35# x 5 x 3
Felt heavy as heck, and my shoulders a little tight, but I got them

Chins:
BW x 7 x 3

Starting to feel like I'm accumulating little tweaky injuries - right neck pull, left hip pain, tweaky shoulders, and so on. I need to focus on the major lifts and limit all the accessory work.

7/24/17 Monday:
Squats:
125# x 5 x 3

BP:
170# x 5 x 5
Still hitting the 5 x 5 on BP relatively easy.

PC:
115# x 3 reps x 5 sets

Chins:
BW x 7 x 4

7/26/17 Wednesday:
Squats:
135# x 5 x 3
Heavy, R knee and L hip felt funny, but got all the reps.

OHP:
105# x 5 x 3

Landmine rows:
90# x 5 x 3
DL area was crowded with a line, so I hopped on the landmine which felt great.

Dips:
25# x 7 x 3

Leg lifts:
20 x 3


I'll do the rest tomorrow and catch it up to today.

[Thomas Lucero]

7/28/17 Friday:
Squat:
140# x 5 x 3
Hips and knees felt tweaky, but not too heavy

BP:
175#x 5 x 5

DL:
195# x 5
Rounded lumbar back a bit on the last couple, decided to count it as a failed set

Chins:
BW x 8,8,5

DB chest flys:
40# x 6 x 3

DB bicep curls:
30# 8 x 3

7/31/17 Monday: (Workout at my apt)
Squats:
35# vest x 20 reps x 4 sets

OHP:
110# x 5 x 3

DL:
190# x 5 x 2
Decided to go for two sets. Had to switch grips multiple times, but got all reps with good form

Dips:
25# vest x 7 x 3

Chins:
BW x 8 x 3

Farmers Carry
35# x 1:30 x 1 set, then 1 min x 3 sets
Grip felt weak after chins. I love these.

8/4/17 Friday:
Squats:
145# x 5 x 3
Felt really heavy, last rep on each set I was pushing, but I got all reps.

BP:
180# x 5 x 5
Had a spotter who spotted me too soon on my last rep on my last set just when I slowed down a bit. I counted it as a missed set. No exceptions! ha ha

PC:
120 # x 3 x 5
Left hip hurting a little, but not too heavy.

Chins:
BW x 8,8,4

DB chest flys:
40# x 7 x 3

Hips an knees felt VERY shitty today after squats. Not sure why.

8/5/17 Saturday: Workout at apt gym
Dips:
BW x 10 x 3

Aussie pull-ups:
BW x 10 x 5
I love these. Great back and biceps work.

OHP:
110# x 5 x 5
I bug crawled up me and I decided to do a volume day for OHP, and it was actually no problem.

EZ bar curls:
75# 6 x 3

Farmers carry:
35# x 1:15 x 3

8/7/17 Monday:
Squat:
135# x 5 x 3
Decided to deload today because I have been having pretty nagging anterior hip pain. Took it down to 135# and took a video, which I'll try to download here.

BP:
180# x 5 x 5
Left shoulder a little tingey, but got all reps.

DL:
195# x 5

Dips:
25# x 8 x 2
Stopped at 2 work sets instead of 3 because my shoulders felt a little funny after the heavy BP. I shouldn't do weighted dips on the same day as bench.

Chins:
25# weighted belt x 4 reps x 3 sets
First time trying them weighted and they felt great.

8/9/17 Wednesday:
Squats:
135# x 5 x 3
Decided to stay with the lower weight, because on Tuesday my hips felt terrible, especially my left one.

OHP:
115# x 5,4,3
This was weird. I got 110# x 5 x 5 on Monday no problem. Maybe this was just an off day.

DL:
205# x 5
Heavy, had to switch grips to over-under, but got all reps

Dips:
25# x 8 x 3

Farmer Carry:
45# x 1 min x 3 sets


So this is where I am at now with the program. My main issue that I wanted to raise with you guys is this very strange and intense hip pain I've been getting the last couple weeks, I believe its due to my squats. The pain is on the anterior and lateral aspect of both of my hips, but left much more than right, and it feels DEEP, not like a little anterior hip flexor muscle soreness I've had in the past. It hurts the most when I'm walking and my upper body moves anterior to my left femur and my left femur takes on a slightly extended position. The pain tends to peak the day AFTER a squat, so I'm actually able to get the lifts no problem. I'm not certain if it is bad squat form, my body just telling me to slow down the progression (but 135# I know is not objectively heavy), or maybe my body is just not made for back squats. I already looked, and there are no SS coaches within 200 miles of where I live. On 8/7 I took a video of my squat and dead-lift, and they both look decent to me, with depth just below parallel on the squat, with knees out and tracking over the feet. Do you guys know how I can post the video clips here? Any form tips would be greatly appreciated.

Regarding my progression in the rest of the program I think it's coming along nicely. I'm still going 5 x 5 on BP, just because I used to bench a bit when I was younger and it is a relatively stronger lift for me, however I suspect I am getting close to the weights where I will need to drop down to 5 x 3. I am continuing with weighted dips and weighted chins, but I am making a concerted effort to limit the rest of the auxiliary exercises to prevent slowing down on the major lifts. A few sets of chest flys and curls still slip into my routine every now and then. Damn it mirror muscles! Beyond that I definitely feel stronger, and look bigger. My wife is noticing the difference too, so I'm feeling like I'm crushing it ha ha. Any tips on what you all think of my progress and programming, and especially my form (once I figure out how to upload video clips) are hugely appreciated. Thanks guys!

[K.O.]

I've dealt with hip flexor pain on both sides at one point or another. It was mainly due to knee slide at the bottom of the squat. Set the knees early on and use TUBOW to check that your knees don't shoot forward at the bottom. It might be a pain to work through, but it does go away. Massage also helps.

[Thomas Lucero]

Thanks K.O.! I'll check out the TUBOW. I've never heard of that until now.

[Thomas Lucero]

8/11/17 Friday:
Squats:
135# x 5 x 3
Still sticking with the 135 for now given my tweaky left hip.

BP:
185# x 5 x 3
Finally there. Went for 3 sets instead of 5, and barely got it, so I'm going for 5 x 3 from here on in.

PC:
125# x 3 reps x 5 sets
Not too heavy, got all reps. However the anterior aspect of my left hip was hurting like hell. Makes me wonder if it's not the squats but instead the pulls that causes the pain. I'm not sure physiologically how that would happen though.

Chins:
25# wt vest x 5 x 3

[carson]

You do not seem to be doing the program. Do you have the books and have you read them? Given the tweeks at these light weights I would suggest two or three things. Go see a certified Starting strength coach and get your programing in line with Starting Strength. A certified Starting Strength coach can also check your technique which may also be wrong. Post some videos in the technique section. Finally, if you can't see a certified Starting Strength coach regularly then at least contract with one for online coaching.

Why are you doing so many auxiliary lifts. During the Linear Progression period focus on the lifts and stick with the numbers of lifts and the progressions of the weights. If you keep wandering about the program you will never know when you reach the end of LP.

[Thomas Lucero]

Carson, thanks for the great advice. I just loaded videos of my squat and deadlift under the technique section like you suggested. Take a look and let me know what you think. Your other tips are much appreciated as well. Yeah I read starting strength cover to cover, including the programming section. I am trying to limit the auxiliary exercises (with the exception of dips and chins which I love). And unfortunately the closest SS coach is over 200 miles from where I live, but the online coaching is a good idea.