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More detailed individual lift graphs:
Squat
squat.jpg
OHP
ohp.jpg
Deadlift
deadlift.jpg
BenchPress
bench.jpg
And finally bodyweight which i just started tracking regularly
bw.jpg
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=======================
|| Workout #74 25th Jun 2018 ||
=======================
Squats (form creep is a real thing but this is still doable)
305 3x5
-------------
BP
145 3x5
-------------
PC
65 5x3
-------------
=======================
|| Workout # 29th Jun 2018 ||
=======================
Because of a time crunch decided to get done with all exercises
by doing lighter weights
Squats, OHP and Deadlift
=======================
|| Workout #75 1st Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Squats
310 3x5
-------------
BP
150 3x5
-------------
PC
75 5x3
-------------
Assisted chin-ups
180 1x6, 1x6, 1x5
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #76 11th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Back from a long weekend holiday in Texas - did a lot of fun things - Rodeo, Austin, SA, CorpusChristi, but no SS
Interestingly after I was back my body-fat % seems to have gone down a couple of % points or the scale i was using changed its software.
Since this was a reset of a week and more I started by backing off almost a whole 10% or a bit more on everything.
Squats
275 3x5
-------------
OHP
95 3x5
-------------
Deadlift
262.5 1x5
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #76 11th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Back from a long weekend holiday in Texas - did a lot of fun things - Rodeo, Austin, SA, CorpusChristi, but no SS
Interestingly after I was back my body-fat % seems to have gone down a couple of % points or the scale i was using changed its software.
Since this was a reset of a week and more I started by backing off almost a whole 10% or a bit more on everything.
Squats
275 3x5
-------------
OHP
95 3x5
-------------
Deadlift
262.5 1x5
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #77 13th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Squats
285 3x5
-------------
BP
140(in reset of 10%) 3x5
-------------
PC
83(no reset) 5x3
-------------
Assisted chin up
180 1x6, 1x6, 1x4 (lower reps than last time - damn!!!)
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #78 16th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Squats
290 3x5
At the end of this set i felt a discomfort in left chest, and lat area. Later on i diagnosed it from reading the forums
to be an intercostal strain or rib injury - probably because of my overbreathing or belt tightness.
-------------
OHP
100 3x5
-------------
Deadlift
295 1x5
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #79 20th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
While the intercostal injury was bothering me i hadn't diagnosed it yet.
Squats
295 3x5
This was not easy but could manage it.
-------------
BP
145 3x5
-------------
PC
89 5x3
-------------
Assisited chin-ups
Decided that more reps was better than low reps at higher weight.
180 1x8 (first time 8 reps at this weight)
160 2x8
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #80 24th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
With the intercostal now being diagnosed and it getting little better but
taking its own sweet time, I decided to reset squats further and focus on form
Squats
265 3x5
Focusing on form was very easy and it was all good.
-------------
OHP
105 3x5
-------------
Deadlift
302.5 1x5
-------------
=======================
|| Workout #81 28th Jul 2018 ||
=======================
Squats
275 3x5
Form was good no issues - intercostal still bothering but defnitely getting better
-------------
BP
This hit a stall at a weight I had managed before (and that time was at a lower body weight).
I think this was because of inadequate rest between sets.
150 2x5,1x4
-------------
PC
94 5x3
-------------
Assisited chin-ups
180 1x8
180 1x7 - definitely improving - 1 rep less but 20 pounds more than last time.
160 1x8
-------------
-
Around July 28th I fell sick for about a week.
This combined with the intercostal injury which was continuing to heal, I took some time to reflect on
how tiring going to and getting out of gym was getting for me.
In fact spending 2+ hrs at the gym combined with time to get back home it was taking a lot out of my day during gym days and I felt the volume was not enough since the progress was stalling.
After investigating split routines in PPST and as well as searching the boards there were two things that were clear to me:
1. The weight was still going up on my squats even if i was starting to reach the grinding point. I had reset because of schedule issues or sickness. So squat being my strongest lift I was most probably in Advanced Novice at worst (in terms of how much more I could stretch that).
2. The other lifts still felt weak compared to my squat. So while I can accept that my press and bench-press finished their LP at 105 and 150 I still wanted to milk out anything left in there. As for the DL, I think I hadn't reached full LP potential yet though I was again clearly in advanced territory - this was because my PC was still progressing and chin-ups hadn't reached full bodyweight yet.
So after much deliberation with my logs during this sickness downtime I came upon a split template that seemed very reasonable for my goals to stretch out LP and to spend less time on avg per gym session in the gym. I found this in Adam Skillin's (an SSC) reply here: https://startingstrength.com/resourc...ml#post1122227
Hence the next couple of months at least will look like this
- Pressing days will alternate between OHP and BP
- Pressing day prior to DL day will not have any additional assistance exercise
- Pressing day prior to Squat day will have additional assistance exercises - alternating between PCs and Chin-Ups
- Squats will be accompanied with prowler metcons (7x 30 secs pushing + 90 secs rest) - since I want to drop bodyfat(not necessarily BW)
- Every workout will have Squats for warmups ranging from 135lbs to 225lbs depending on the main exercise of the day e.g. DL and squat days I won't do a lot of squat warmups. Pressing days I can do more squat warmup volume upto 225lbs.
So the program looks like this
#DL split
Pressing day
DL day
# Squat 1 split
Pressing day + assistance
Squat day + metcon
# Squat 2 split
Pressing day + assistance
Squat day + metcon
#DL split ... and so on
Lastly so that I am not deluding myself(even though this might seem a bit contradictory to my feelings of being novice) I am no longer novice as per the standard definition on these boards. But the recovery is definitely being impacted by my life and work situation.
So there are novice gains still left on the table, but I need to become a situational intermediate in order to get them.
This program is a self-designed situational or circumstantial intermediate program to get as much out of the remaining novice gains left.
-
Situational intermediate workout log entry 1
=======================
|| Workout #1 4th Aug 2018 ||
|| DL split ||
=======================
Since I took such a long break of 6 days because of sickness I decided to combine the press and DL day for this first workout. This was OK since I was anyways repeating my DL load.
OHP
107.5 3x5
DL
309 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #2 7th Aug 2018 ||
|| Squat split Press day
=======================
BP
150 3x5
Repeat since coming back after a long hiatus to BP
PC
99 5x3
I had to take a break of a week again due to unintended and sudden work related travel
=======================
|| Workout #3 15th Aug 2018 ||
|| Squat split Sq day
=======================
Squat
260 3x5
Repeat since a long hiatus from Squats
Prowler metcon at 50lbs
=======================
|| Workout #4 18th Aug 2018 ||
|| Squat split Press day
=======================
OHP
108.75 3x5
Chin-ups
180 2x8
180 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #5 19th Aug 2018 ||
|| Squat split Press day
=======================
Squat
275 3x5
Prowler metcon at 70lbs
=======================
|| Workout #6 21st Aug 2018 ||
|| DL split Press day
=======================
BP
152.5 3x5
=======================
|| Workout #7 22nd Aug 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day
=======================
DL
314 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #8 24th Aug 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
OHP
110 3x5
Chin ups
200 1x4
180 5x4
Figured getting all reps and volume was better
=======================
|| Workout #9 26th Aug 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
Sq
285 3x5
Prowler metcon at 90lbs
=======================
|| Workout #10 29th Aug 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
BP
155 3x5
PC
104 5x3
=======================
|| Workout #11 30th Aug 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
Squat
290 3x5
Prowler metcon at 90lbs
=======================
|| Workout #12 1st Sep 2018 ||
|| DL split Press day
=======================
OHP
111.25 3x5
-
=======================
|| Workout #13 2nd Sep 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day
=======================
OHP
320 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #14 4th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
BP
157.5 3x5
Chins
200 2x4
180 4x4
=======================
|| Workout #15 5th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
Squat
295 3x5
Prowler metcon at 95lbs
=======================
|| Workout #16 7th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
OHP
113.75 3x5
PC
109 3x5
=======================
|| Workout #17 10th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
Squat
I think I went into this thing which a bit of calorie deficit for the day
Also I was more focused on keeping my chest up and the focus on knees wasn't there
Hence I ended up having a bit of knee valgus coming out of the bottom.
This made my knees hurt so bad!!!! post workout.
300 3x5
Prowler metcon at 100lbs
=======================
|| Workout #18 13th Sep 2018 ||
|| DL split Press day
=======================
BP
161.25 3x5
No other exercises since I was already getting bugged with the knee issue.
=======================
|| Workout #19 16th Sep 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day
=======================
DL
325 1x5
Deadlifted inspite of the irritated knee.
=======================
|| Workout #20 18th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
OHP
116.25 3x5
Didn't do PCs because of the knee issue
This is also where the rails kind of start coming off of this program.
=======================
|| Workout #21 20th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
After thinking a bit about my knee issue, I figured that the issue was knees way out and knees all the way in wasn't happening.
Inspite of the knee hurting I decided to squat light and fix the form issue and see if good form would unfuck my knee :-).
Squat
235 3x5
Some lingering irritation, but the good form seems to have worked. The fuckup was unfucked.
=======================
|| Workout #22 22nd Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
BP
First stall on BP
165 5,4,5
Instead of assisited chins I did lat pulldowns (trying to get serious about bodyweight chins)
110 1x4
143 1x6
165 2x6
143 2x6
=======================
|| Workout #23 25th Sep 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
305 3x5
Prowler metcon at 95lbs
=======================
|| Workout #24 27th Sep 2018 ||
|| DL split Press day
=======================
OHP
First stall
118.75 4,4
Deloaded to 113.75 and got some additional volume in
113.75 3x3
At this point it is clear that presses might be stalling.
I also got a case of diarrhea at this point.
=======================
|| Workout #25 29th Oct 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day
=======================
Because of the diarrhea, food wasn't staying in, but getting better now that I was 2 days into it.
I decided to do light DLs but more volume.
Warmups
plus
222 2x5
=======================
|| Workout #26 1st Oct 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
BP
Second stall on BP because I foolishly tried to up the weight
168.75 5,4(had to dump weight here and fell down much to my own embarrasment).
155 3x3 Did some volume after.
=======================
|| Workout #27 3rd Oct 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
Was scared but finally got myself to the gym late at night 11:30pm and did it.
310 3x5
Because of my press stalls(especially on the bench I had bought some bands for band assisted chin-ups)
Band assisted chin-ups - did a 3x3 on blue,red and orange band.
Since at this point I had not gotten any heavy DL workout in since almost 2+ weeks (because of the diarrhea)
I decided to make this one a DL split
=======================
|| Workout #28 5th Oct 2018 ||
|| DL split Press day
=======================
OHP
120 4,4,2 Stall
For volume
111.25 4,3,4
=======================
|| Workout #29 8th Oct 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day
=======================
Starting off with a bit of deload of my 1x5 PR(325)
302 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #30 11th Oct 2018 ||
|| Sq split Press day
=======================
BP
167.5 5,4,4,2 (completed 15 reps)
For volume did OHP (this resembles 4-day split of light OHP on heavy BP day)
95 3x3
=======================
|| Workout #31 12th Oct 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day
=======================
3-plate PR - i am happy
315 3x5
-
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Learnings and prorgramming going forward
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Overall sticking to this program made me get into the gym much more, since I was spending less time each session
- This also made my squat stronger since I used squats to warm up before any lift almost every session.
- I fucked with the squat form even though it was working for me - this made me miss one squat session and maybe a couple of days because of the irritated knee - so lesson learnt - dont fuck with the form if it is working
- Presses are stalling and to milk LP out of them, I will need to switch to 3x3, but still keep volume by doing some sets at a lower (i have decided 92.5% of 5-rep max which equates to ~86.5% of 3-rep max). This is now changing two variables (I am changing 3x5 to 3x3 and also adding additional volume). Though doing that I think it is necessary to do both since I definitely need volume for the presses.
- Can I do BP on OHP day and vice-versa? Definitely and I will be. This will be the third change. This adds more volume and makes gaps between sessions more manageable w/o risk of detraining.
So my press solution:
#Problem1 - Milk LP - Solution = Switch to 3x3
#Problem2 - Volume(because of Solution to #Problem1) - Solution = Do additional 3x3 at ~86.5% of 3-rep max.
#Problem3 - Presses seem to be detraining because of large gaps - Solution = Do the other press lift 3x3 at ~80% of 5-rep max(~75% of 3-rep max).
At this point even though I am now still milking LP on the squat and DL, my presses clearly are in the very advanced novice programming stage - not sitll calling it intermediate since I am recovering fine. I can say i am a situational intermediate.
The 4th change that I am making going forward is going on a slight cut. So this should start impacting my squats, DLs and Bench at some point though I am still expecting to get some mileage out of this new program.
Lastly and the 5th change is that I want to spend more of my evenings at home. I usually need evenings for heavy workouts post good nutrition during the day. So I am planning to move both my press and BP workouts to middle of the day to a gym nearer to the office. This way I spend more time at home in the evenings since I will only be doing max 2 heavy workouts during a week. While presses are heavy, the volume on them is not that high to do cause a lot of recovery issues.
So program going forward:
Sq-split:
Day1 - Press 3x3 + 87.5% 3x3 of 3-rep max + Other press lift 3x3 75% of 3-rep max.
day-time workout
Day2 - Squat 3x5 - night-time workout + prowler(optional since I am doing a cut)
evening workout
Since I end up detraining DLs quite often if i take a gap due to travel/holidays/injury/sickness the second split is the DL split
DL-split:
Day1 - Press 3x3 + 87.5% 3x3 of 3-rep max + Other press lift 3x3 75% of 3-rep max.
day-time workout
Day2 - DL 1x5 - night-time workout
Chins and power-cleans will have to be done during off-days at the office-gym. No other way.
-
Logging back after a long time.
I don't think I quite stuck to the program that I listed in mid October due to life events:
1. Made a housing move which took almost 3 weeks of any time outside of office to finish off all tasks.
2. Took a small mini vacation in late December for around 10 days
I did get back to lifting starting in January and figured that the best way to get back to my lifts was an LP.
Plus since my original goal was to spend less time at the gym and the weights were heavy - I was doing a variation of one main lift a day.
So yeah I am going to log this in this LP log:
Situational intermediate/Advanced Novice stage
=======================
|| Workout #1 18th Oct 2018 ||
|| DL split DL day ||
=======================
DL 320 1x5
=======================
|| Workout #2 19th Oct 2018 ||
|| DL split press day ||
=======================
BP 170 3x3
=======================
|| Workout #3 21st Oct 2018 ||
|| Sq split Sq day ||
=======================
Squat 320 1x5, back-off sets at 275 1x5, 225 2x5 (experimenting with volume)
=======================
|| Workout #4 22nd Oct 2018 ||
|| Squat split press day ||
=======================
OHP 121.25 3,2,3
====================================
Took a break here for some reason which I don't remember
====================================
=======================
|| 2nd Nov 2018 ||
|| Squat ||
=======================
Squat 315 1x5, back-off sets at 275 1x5, 225 2x5 (experimenting with volume)
PowerCleans 84# 3x5
|| 4th Nov 2018 ||
|| OHP ||
=======================
120 3x3
|| 8th Nov 2018 ||
|| DL ||
=======================
330 1x5
|| 9th Nov 2018 ||
|| BP ||
=======================
172.5 3x3
=====================================
House moving happened
=====================================
So restarting LP
=======================
|| 3rd Dec 2018 ||
=======================
Squat 225 3x5
OHP 85 3x5
DL 232 1x5
=======================
|| 6th Dec 2018 ||
=======================
Squat 245 3x5
BP 135 3x5
DL 265 1x5
=======================
|| 6th Dec 2018 ||
=======================
Squat 245 3x5
BP 135 3x5
DL 265 1x5
=======================
|| 11th Dec 2018 ||
=======================
Squat 250 3x5
OHP 100 3x5
DL 275 1x5
=================================
At this point I took a big break and then vacations.
=================================
-
29th Dec 2018
So seriously restarting LP yet again but I am NDTP since I want to spend less time per session at the gym
and also leave enough time for recovery since I am now seriously starting to eat maintenance/cut.
So program while I reach my old PR lifts:
0. One main lift a day
1. 1day on 2 day off
2. Bench almost every session at 75% or 80% of 5rm (except on bench days)
3. Lat pull downs every session 4x10 till I have to go to 4x8
=======================
|| 29th Dec 2018 ||
=======================
Squat 245 3x5
=======================
|| 1st Jan 2019 ||
=======================
OHP 102.5 3x5
=======================
|| 4th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
DL 285 1x5
=======================
|| 8th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
BP 150 3x5
=======================
|| 12th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
Squat 285 3x5
=======================
|| 15th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
OHP 108.75 3x5
=======================
|| 20th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
DL 305 1x5
=======================
|| 23rd Jan 2019 ||
=======================
BP 155 3x5
=======================
|| 25th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
Squat 300 3x5
=======================
|| 29th Jan 2019 ||
=======================
OHP 112.5 3x5
=======================
|| 31st Jan 2019 ||
=======================
DL 315 1x5
=======================
|| 3rd Feb 2019 ||
=======================
BP 160 3x5
=======================
|| 7th Feb 2019 ||
=======================
Squat 305 3x5
=================================
At this point I am pretty close - about 2-3 sessions away from my PRs - but life is going to take front-seat again.
In another week I will be off for a month long vacation and instead of stressing about training - and losing strength - I am going to train whenever I can (in hotel gyms) and otherwise rest easy.
Will come back and titrate back up and do another long LP.
Note that since I am on a cut I have lost around 5 lbs but nothing more. So maybe during this vacation I might lose a bit more. Let's see.
=================================
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