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Thread: James' Log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Adelaide, Australia
    Posts
    68

    Default James' Log

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    Decided to start a training log - see if it helps with motivation. I'm enjoying the program, but it's getting tough. I started back in October, with weight I knew I could handle:

    SQ: 70 kg (154)
    P: 40 kg (88)
    BP: 50 kg (110)
    DL: 80 kg (176)

    Stats:

    Name: James
    Age: 36 (for another two weeks)
    Height: 184 cm (6'1/4")
    Weight: 110 kg (242 lb), electronic scales tell me about 35% BF
    Location: Adelaide, Australia (that's why my numbers are in kg first)

    I started with the SS app after hearing Rip on the Tom Woods Show podcast. I've been trying to get into sailing, but at the moment I suck at it and keep breaking gear. I really should be about 90 kg (200 lb) for the dinghy I have (and that is achievable), but since it's half way through the season and my boat's still in the yard waiting to be fixed, I thought "screw it - just go lift some heavy shit". I figure If I pack any more weight on, I'll just tell the wife I need to upgrade to something bigger.

    I used to row surf boats in the under 21 division (disclaimer - this is not me, these are the big boys in a national championship):


    My best result was wiping out of a quarter final repechage at nationals - We won State championship that year, but not coming last in a quarter final (and getting into the repechage) against the guys from Queensland and New South Wales in some pretty crazy weather was a better result in my mind.

    I started reading about strength training for off season work back then (~y2k). I was trying to find out what US football teams were doing for bulk and strength. I can't remember what program I was doing, but it was low rep, heavy weight. My best singles were:

    SQ: 150 kg (330)
    DL: 157 kg (345)
    BP: 102 kg (224) I think - I know it was over 100, but I don't think I got to 110.

    I had to go through chemotherapy in 2003, but all good now. Even managed to have kids afterwards. I did martial arts for over 10 years, and have a black belt in Aikido (Iwama Ryu, so it's actually almost practical in the real world). I've been out of the Dojo since 2015.

    I read the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson (also via Tom Woods) in maybe 2013. I did really well on it, but fell off the wagon when work/life got a bit out of balance - I'm an engineer and it can get pretty stressful if you let it, especially (in my field) if the oil price is in the shit. Basically just been getting fat and out of shape since about 2015.

    Anyhoo: last workout was Wednesday night:

    SQ: 124 kg (273) 5 x 3
    P: 54 kg (119) 5, 5, 3- failed in 3rd set, held a grind for 5sec and got it back in the rack.
    DL: 145 kg (319) 5 x 1
    CU: AMRAP x 2 (4,3), NEG (0,0,3) x 4 x 3

    I've been up late a couple times this week trying to get projects closed out. Also did a crazy cross-country work day on Monday (awake at 4am and back home at 10 pm). Not sure if I should be training tonight considering fatigue levels.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Adelaide, Australia
    Posts
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    Wife sent me to the gym last night.

    SQ: 126 kg (277) x 5 x 3
    BP: 66kg (145) x 5 x 3
    PC: 46 kg (101) x 5 x 3
    Lat Pull: 67.5 kg (148) x 8 x 3

    Work out time is starting to creep up near 1.5 hr. It's longer than I'm used to.

    Slept poorly afterwards. The cats wanted to cuddle, but I was too hot. And the greyhound wanted to go to the toilet at 4:00 am.

  3. #3
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    Oct 2017
    Location
    Adelaide, Australia
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    Monday 4/12/17

    SQ: 128 kg (281) x 5 x 3
    P: 54 kg (118) x 5 x 3
    DL: 150 kg (330) x 5 x 1
    CU: 2 x AMRAP (5, 2 + 5 sec hold), NEG (0, 0, 3) x 4 x 3

    Felt much better than Friday night, even with more weight lifted. I was tired and cranky all weekend, basically I was an a$$hole, but the chores aren't going to do themselves and it's not wise to try leaving all of them to the missus. Sleep is tricky at the moment. I recorded myself and I am definitely snoring. A nasal decongestant seemed to help keep the volume down because my wife didn't kick me out of bed.

  4. #4
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    Oct 2017
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    Wednesday 6/12/17

    SQ: 130 kg (286) x 5 x 3
    BP: 68 kg (149) x 5 x 3
    PC: 48 kg (105) x 3 x 5

    Didn't exactly blast out of the hole on squats, but got them all up. I think I'm trying to hold the bar up with my arms too much. Left arm sore just above the elbow after last squat set. Think I have to move my bench efforts into the cage. Not a whole lot of good prospects for a spotter, and have now heard too many BP horror stories. Power clean form feels pretty bad - also felt lazy in the third set. Concentrating on a faster jump improved the last sets. Might go back to 25 kg (I can find a 15 kg bar and 5 kg bumpers) and start again.

  5. #5
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    Friday 8 /12/17

    SQ: 132 kg (290) x 5 x 3
    P: 56 kg (123) 5, 5, 3 + 5 sec hold at forehead
    DL: 155 kg (341) x 5 x 1
    Lat Pull : 70 kg (154) x 8 x 3

    Arm not as bad as Wednesday, but still sore after squats. Press increments need to go down to 1 kg. Last DL felt heavy but it came up in the end. Didn't sleep well afterwards, only about 4.5 hours. Body weight just back under 109 kg. If I can pull 160 kg next week, it will beat my life time single rep PB.
    Last edited by Ronin609; 12-11-2017 at 04:28 PM. Reason: I did not do 3 sets on DL

  6. #6
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    1.5 hours is pretty standard for workouts. As the weights go up don't be surprised if you need more rest time between lifts.

  7. #7
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    Thanks Carson, good to know I'm not just being slow. At least it's not 1.5 hr plus a general type warmup.

  8. #8
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    Monday 11/12/17

    SQ: 134 kg (294) x 5 x 3
    BP: 70 kg (154) x 5 x 3
    PC: 20 kg (44) x 3 x 8
    CU: 2 x AMRAP (5+ 5 sec hold, 2 + 5 sec hold), NEG (0, 0, 3) x 4 x 3

    Body weight down to 108 kg.

    Tried changing my hand position in squats to remove stress out of my left elbow. Seemed to help. Pain came on later (after third set instead of second) and lower intensity. Tried to get back arch and leg tension going in BP - I think squeezing the shoulders together is lowering my wrists at lockout. Need to try the bar on a lower pin to continue practicing the technique. PC was a bit boring, but taking the weight of did mean I could practice pronating the arm.

  9. #9
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    Wednesday 13/12/17

    SQ: 135 kg (297) x 5 x 3
    P: 56 kg (123) x 5 x 3
    DL: 160 kg x 5 x 1
    Hammer Curls 5 kg x 10, 6 kg x 10, 7 kg x 10

    Just cleared an old PR for DL , but did it with a set of 5! Last press went straight to lock-out. That's twice I've gotten stuck and recovered on the next press day. Definitely time to reduce increment to 1 kg. I'm going to reduce across the lifts. Hammer curls were because I listened to the injury episode of the barbell logic podcast and that was discussed - Also, I'm sure I've read in the book or seen Rip on video saying he knows people are going to do curls any way, he just doesn't bother to programme them. They might not be part of SSLP, but seem to be (grudgingly condoned) I'm not surprised if my my biceps tendons are relatively weak, I do not have any kind of background of body-building.

    New shoes turned up today too. Out of trainers and into proper lifting shoes. Squat felt nice and stable for sure.
    Last edited by Ronin609; 12-15-2017 at 05:27 AM. Reason: Correct press reps - I did Fahve's, not triples

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Friday 15/12/17

    SQ: 136 kg (299) x 5 x 3
    BP: 72 kg (158) x 5 x 3
    PC: 22 kg (48) x 3 x 5
    Lat Pull : 72.5 kg (159) x 8 x 3

    Turned 37 yesterday. I changed the bar position in squat after viewing the video at Videos | Starting Strength. Biceps tendon felt much better, but some soreness in the upper forearm instead. The last two sets of squats felt tough, but I got them done! Really had to squeeze reps 4 & 5 out both times. Extra rest over the weekend should help for Monday. PC felt nicer in lifting shoes, but happy to keep the weight low and get more comfortable with the grip width. Work-wise I got through a lot of shit this week and I don't have this feeling in the back of my mind that I should be catching up on projects instead of lifting.

    Those squats were so tough, wondering if the change in bar position has increased the difficulty. Will see how Monday goes before considering a reset. I'd love to lose some body fat, but there's also the possibility that I could be eating a bit more to aid recovery.

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