Ddtediejm's SS Training Log

[Ddtediejm]

Midweek training is complete. Today wasn't a bad one either, no aches or pains or real complaints. 205 for the bench continues to be my new sticking point, but I will keep nugging away at it, as well as chin ups, which I still suck at.
Lt. Squat:3x5@245-no real issues with the squat at this time.
Bench: 3@205, 2x5@195
Chin ups: 3,4,3 at bw (224) 3x10 assisted green band

[Ddtediejm]

Well, today was probably the crappiest day of training I think I ever had. I am trying to go through the First Three Questions in my head to try and figure out how it got this bad. Squats were not as deep as they should be, I choked on the press and couldn't get my deadlift past my warm ups. I was not in my normal gym, but I have worked out in the "hex plate" gym in the past and not had such a bad session.
Squats:3x5@285. I am pushing to try and break into the 300 club for squats. I felt as if I were progressing along okay after a reset about a week ago. 270 and 275 felt light earlier, but today, I was back to struggling to get to depth and maintain form.
Press: 2@145, 1x5@135, 4@135: I didn't feel out of gas, nor did I think I was going to fail the lift, but I pulled 145 out of the wrack, and felt my body loosen up instead of remaining nice and tight. I pushed up two..but choked. I rested 5 min, and got under 135 and it too felt grindy and hard to get up. Last set, after 5 min of rest, I hit the fourth rep and felt the body loosen up again.
Deadlift: 1@320: This is the one that aggravates me the most. I was rounding my back last time working with this weight, and felt sure that it would be logged and put in the past today. Now I am thinking for another reset to get this going again. My thumb is still sore enough to prevent me from hook gripping with my left hand, so I supine instead, and today for some reason I don't think I got into a good position at all when I did that. I tried to drop to 290, and even that wouldn't break off the floor for me.

Going through the First three: I am resting 5 min between work sets, so I don't think that is the issue, I don't think I am getting too greedy...but maybe I am trying to rush through to soon. I have been at LP since Thanksgiving, and wondering if it is just time to move onto the next phase of early Intermediate. I still think I am a Novice. Lastly, I try to eat about 2600 calories a day. I am 53, 5'6 and 224 was my last weigh in. I am the "fluffy" guy trying not to gain too much in the midsection while trying to get strong. Some days I am over my caloric macros, some days not. I had some long motorcycle rides this weekend (going about 300 miles in total, walking around the Mo. State Prison yesterday) so not sure if that is playing into rest or not. I think I need to focus more on the protein again. Bottom line though, back on the horse next week, and hope for a better training session than this one was.

[Ddtediejm]

Week 23 kicked off, and I think my Novice LP is about at its end. I failed bench press twice today, squats still feel heavy, and I am pretty sure I am not hitting proper depth. Chin ups still suck, and after the bench press debacle, I just used the green assistance band for 10 and called it quits. I think I am going to run out the rest of the week, but next week, I will be delving into some of the intermediate programs. I don't think my body can handle the Texas Method unless I hit it on a four day spilt...which is what I am leaning towards to try and get stronger. I didn't quite hit the goals I wanted (315 squat, 150 press, 225 bench and 405 deadlift-these were my final targets, but now seem to keep drawing further away). I have made some progress to be proud of, so the program was definitely well worth the time and effort. I think had I been able to afford some on-line coaching, and been able to video myself a bit better, it may have helped some. Todays numbers:
Squat:3x5@285
Bench, 1@205 (last three weeks I have been able to do three at least..not today for some reason) 1x5@185, 3@185-luckily for me, there was a female soldier in the area, as I choked both on the 205 lift, and then again on the 185. She had to help me get the bar off my chest. Very embarrassing. Also, more reason to definitely watch it when you bench by yourself.
Chins:3x10 green assistance band, body weight, 222.

To add to my misery, last night, some one rear ended my truck. No air bag deployment, but I had a pretty good jolt from the impact. I don't think it affected me too much, but may have tied into some soreness I feel today. My left shoulder is aching a bit.

[SeanThornton]

Dd,

Just saw your post from Sunday. You can't read too much into one bad day. Sometimes you just have a day where nothing goes right. Put it out of your mind, and move one.

I also saw where you're 53 (I'm 55). Five minute rests between sets is considered short for folks our age. I've now settled on a plan where I rest 2x(# of reps in work set). So, when I'm doing 5s, I rest 10 minutes before the next set. That may help.

I also see from the last two posts, that you're doing workouts every other day (3x/week), which IS per the program. However, in Sully's book, and elsewhere, they do point out that as we get older, that may be too much, and doesn't allow for proper recovery, especially as the weights get heavy. Have you looked into some of the alternative programming strategies for masters? Some extra rest between workouts may be just what the doctor ordered (apologies to Sully for the bad joke!). For myself, I've settled into one lift a day, so lifts don't repeat for 5 days (Squat, bench, deads, chins, OHP). That seems to be working well for me, allowing enough time to recover.

Finally, you mention 2600 calories a day, with a weight of ~224. That seems awfully low for a body that size, while you're simultaneously trying for regular PRs at the end of a NLP.

At any rate, just some ideas, and food for thought. Maybe there's an idea there which will help. And having said all that, you've made some great progress thus far! I look forward to keeping up with your log as you continue.

Bob

[Ddtediejm]

Bob, thanks for the reply. I think I shall look into the two day spilt, or perhaps the one lift a day. I don't mind going to the gym, as it gets me out of the house, and away from my cube at the office when I go at lunch. As to eating..I am afraid I worry too much about my waistline. I started this journey close to 300 lbs, and am afraid of going over that threshold again. I think you are correct though, as I go through the The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe I think food is probably my biggest fault at this point. I need to be able to shut off the worry part and just get to lifting. Thanks for the boost.

[Ddtediejm]

Took Bob's advice, and went for the one on, two off split and today got in a fairly decent round of training, considering what my last two sessions were like. It was light Squat day, so I kept it at 235, OHP, I kept it at 3 sets of 135, and on the second set, I choked on the last rep. I had rested 8 min. between the first and that one, and I kind of think I just cooled off too much. I am rather used to just waiting 5 min. between, and 135 is probably not quite heavy enough to require that much rest for me. I waited 5 min. after that failed set, and I was able to crank out 5 more reps-wasn't the easiest, but felt better than the second set. Deadlifts, I worked my way up to 320 again, and today, my hook grip is back! No more pain in the thumb from my terrible "carpenter incident" and felt that these can get back on track.

Lt. Squat:3x5@235
OPH:2x5@135, 4@135 (second set failed and only got four reps in)
Deadlift: 1x5@320

So thanks Bob for the advice and the "lift your chin up" speech. Helped a fellow lifter out today at least.

[SeanThornton]

I don't know the emoji code for thumbs-up, but at any rate, excellent! Glad to hear you had a good workout

[Ddtediejm]

Thanks man. I have no clue on emoji. I can just throw around a youtube clip now and then.

[Ddtediejm]

Got in today, lessened the load a bit to make sure form is good, and had a decent session. Think soon I will be jumping ship to the Heavy/Light/Medium split to see how that goes. I want to continue to run LP out, but think after resetting so many times, that it is time to move on to something with a bit more volume. The Barbell Prescription has some pretty good plans, and I love the work that Dr. Sullivan and Andy Baker have put into that book. Anyway, today's numbers:
Squat:3x5@255
Bench:3x5@185
Light Dead lifts: 1x5@275 ( I screwed this up, was supposed to do another set)
Chins: 3, 3, 3 at body weight of 226.5-I have breached the dread 225 mark that I didn't want to get over. Again, have to calm my mind, as I am pretty sure most of it is muscle and not the dread fat. I have had too many people compliment me on "looking great" and "keep it up" I guess to fret over it too much.
Assisted Chins: Green Band, 3x10

[Ddtediejm]

Light day for squats today, but only reduced the load by 5% to try and keep in form, press and power cleans as well. Not a terrible training session, and I went in a day early. I guess I am just accustomed to a day on, day off type schedule. I will keep an eye on it as the weight gets a bit heavier. Been looking at PPST and The Barbell Prescription at the Heavy, Light Medium work out as well. Going to wait til this round stalls before I try to switch. Here are my numbers for today:

Lt. Squat: 3x5@240
Press, 3x5@135 (was doing well with these until my last set. Rep no. 5 was a real grind to get up, but I managed.
Power Clean: 5x3@125. Don't think I want to take this one too heavy yet. My form isn't the greatest, but I am still trying to work on it. I know masters are sometimes encouraged not to power clean, but I do like the Olympic weight style. I think I snatch better, but haven't put that to the test in quite a while.