Ddtediejm's SS Training Log

[Ddtediejm]

I have been working the program for about 3 weeks now, and thought I would start posting up my logs. My goal is to get a bit stronger and lose some weight. I started my fitness journey last Jan with the New Years resolution to get the weight off. I was pushing 300 pounds, and am only 5'6". 53 year old male, retired US Army after 22 years. Gave Nutrisystem a go at first, then moved onto a program called Optavia. I just could not stand their food, so just switched it up to a paleo type diet. I cut out bread, dairy, etc. I dropped the first 50 pounds rather quickly, but started to head to the gym at lunch time to get out of the cube and get my body to lose even more weight. Soon, I was down another 25 lbs, but was not going beyond. I decided since I was in a military gym that had set up for Cross Fit to give it a try. I found I loved the variety of workouts, and enjoyed moving in at lunch time, knocking out a 15 or 20 min. WOD and getting back to my cube. I think like many others though, I found when I was using the CrossFit program on their web page, I was not getting any better at snatches, cleans, deadlifts or squats. That is when I stumbled across Starting Strenght and Coach Rip. Watching his Youtube videos, I thought "wow..this is a no bull shit guy who makes sense." So I started my journey and hope to still pull off some fat, yet gain some strength.

Day 1:
Squat: 3x5 @ 175 lbs
Press: 3x5@100
Deadlift: 1x5 @ 225

Day 2:
Squat: 3x5 @185
Bench: 3x5 @165
Deadlift: 1x5 @235

Day 3:
Squat:3x5 @ 190
Press; 3x5@ 100
Deadlift: 1x5@ 245

Week 2, Day 1:
Squat;3x5 @ 195
Bench: 4 @ 175, 2x5 @ 175 (this is where I learned to rest more than 2 min. between sets)
Deadlift;1x5 @255

Day 2:
Squat:3x5@200
Press; 3x5@110
Deadlift: 1x5@ 265

Day 3:
Squat: 3x5@205
Bench: 3x5@175
Deadlift: 1x5@275

Week 3, Day 1:
Squat:3x5@ 210
Press: 3x5@115
Deadlift: 1x5@ 285

Day 2
Squat: 3x5@215
Bench-4 @ 185, 4@ 180, 3@175, 4@175-really struggled with the Bench tonight. Not sure if I ate enough today, or if being in the rain all day just wore me out.
Deadlift: 1x5@295-felt this a bit more as well.


Day 3 to wrap up my first three weeks.
Squat 3x5 @ 220 lbs.
OHP, 3X5 at 120 lbs. Started to have to push it a little bit more towards no. 4 and 5 on the last two sets.
Deadlift: was supposed to be 1x5 at 305 lbs. I got it up once, and while it was a PR for me, I wasn not too happy that I couldn't do more. Just kind of ran out of juice. I dropped back to 295, and same, couldn't get it up once. I think I discovered that one should eat prior to coming to the gym, as I skipped breakfast to get there a bit early and get the training session out of the way. So again, need to get the book and get with the program.

I am still at the YNDTP stage, as I have yet to get the book. I am hoping it is under the Christmas tree for me, as it is on my list. I would just buy the damn thing on Amazon, but that would just piss off the wife, as our little home rule is not to buy for yourself after Thanksgiving. I am hoping to get a bit better at press and bench, and to improve the deadlift a bit more. I am feeling the weight more and more as I progress with the deadlifts.

[Ddtediejm]

Week 4 is now finished.
Day 1: Squat 3x5 225
Bench: 3x5 180
Power Clean: 1x3 @ 100, 4x3@110

Day 2: Squats: 3x5@235
Press: 1x3@ 125, 2x5@120-still struggling a little, but getting closer to moving on.
Deadlift: 0x5@305...couldn't get it off the ground. 1x3@295, and 1x3@275. Farily frustrated with my deadlifting. I am pretty sure it is a form issue. Tried to take a video of it, all I got was the top of my head though. Going to try and ramp this back up next week when I DL twice during that week.

Day 3 Squats: 3x5@240
Bench, 1x4@ 185, 2x5@185 (spotter assisted). Grabbed a spotter after only benching 185 four times. The second set went much smoother, and I didn't hit "the wall" until the fourth rep. Same with the last set, but was feeling it at rep no. 3. I have been resting 5 min. between sets, so perhaps a minute more is needed.
Power Clean: 5x3@115.

[Ddtediejm]

Week 5 started out and a Christmas Eve day training session.

Squat: 3x5@245 lbs.
OHP: 3x5@125 lbs.
Deadlift: 1x5@285

I was struggling with my deadlift, so have ramped down a little in hopes that when I hit 305 again next week I will be able to get it up off the floor. I also did 3 sets of 5 Romanian Deadlifts after the set at 135 lbs to help me get better at this. I am pretty sure it is my technique keeping me from moving on, so I am talking myself through the 5 steps everytime, but I still swing out some on pull/press no. 3 or 4.

[Ddtediejm]

Day 2 of week 5, day after Christmas lifts. I did finally get the "blue book" as well as the Barbell Perscription so I guess I am off and running, beginning to the program.
Squat: 3x5@250
Bench, 4@190, 5@190, 3@190. The bench was giving me some issues today, even after the first set when I grabbed a spotter. I waited 7 min before doing the last set but puttered out at 3.
Power Clean: 5x3@120

I rowed for 15 min. at the end as well, just to stay moving. I am now weighing 215, and my waist is 42.5". So I am up a pound from last week (even with all the Christmas food0 and down a half inch on my waist.

[Ddtediejm]

Week 5 is now in the can. Wasn't the greatest of training sessions, but got my butt in the gym and cranked it out.

Squat: 2x5@255-then I got in my head, as I don't think I was going deep enough. I remembered the words from the "blue book" about squating with enough weight where you can do it correctly, and I think I may have violated Dr. Sullivan's principal of getting greedy. I dropped off some weight to do a set of 5 at 240, then back to 225 to ensure I was getting the proper squat.
Press: 1@130, 1@125 then I dropped to 115 for 3x5. Again, think I have been getting greedy, as I know I was trying to turn the press into a Thruster instead.
Deadlift: 1x5@295: I would say this was the highlight of my training experience today, as I was able to pull it up keeping with the 5 steps. I had to regrip a few times, my right hand coming loose for some reason, but the pull/press of the ground felt much better today.

So, think I will have to swallow some pride, drop some of the weights a little in order to regain form. I would love to be able to get a good video of some of these lifts, but I am rather limited to what I can do.

[Ddtediejm]

Week 6 and the last work out of the year. I ramped it down some, since I don't think I was keeping my form at all. So I dropped 10% on the squat and the bench press to try and get decent gains without losing form. Will remember that this is not a race, and try to progress in a slow steady fashion.

Squats: 3x5@230
Bench:3x5@170
Power Cleans: 5x3@125
Lat Pulldowns: 3x5@140

[Ddtediejm]

Was sick yesterday, so pushed my second training session to today. Felt a bit better, and hit a PR on my Deadlifts with 305!
Squats: 3x5@235
OHP:#x5@115
Deadlift: 1x4@305, I dropped the bar during a set down, grabbed it again and lifted it for the 5th rep, although pretty sure that it would not have counted. I was doing pretty well on the first three lifts, but the fourth swung out, and I could feel the back round on the 5th. Think I will stick with 305 one more time before I try to jump it up. Try to get the form better when the weight gets heavier.

[carson]

You found the gold standard for strength development. Convince your wife that your strength gain is not just for yourself but for her and all who love you. Contact a SS coach and go see him or her. Sign up for some training. The second best option is sign up for online coaching. By all means if you haven't bought the books yet, do so.

[Ddtediejm]

Thank you Carson for the words of encouragement. I will definately think about trying to save for an online SSC. Just not quite in the cards with the budget at the moment, so I plod along doing the best I can with the tools available.

Today ended week 6. My squat felt good, as did the bench. Power cleans, not so much. I may have to end up switching as Dr. Sullivan has suggested for us "Masters" over 50. I do like doing Olympic weights, but my rack position is terrible, and I haven't yet been able to keep my elbows up. Hence, when it comes to the working weight, I am not utilizing proper form whatsoever, and just muscling up the weight as best I can. Anyway:

Squat:3x5@240
Bench: 3x5@175
Power Clean: 2 sets of 3 @130, 3 sets @125.

[carson]

I know what you mean about the Olympic lifts. I started lifting at age 66. I tried some but my body was enough screwed up that I couldn't do them. In fact I passed out and that ended my attempts.