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Thread: BWare's Novice Training Log

  1. #151
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    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    11/15 - Session 24-4, heavy press/volume bench/pull assist

    Press --

    Warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2
    95 x 5
    105 x 3

    Working set: 130 x 5; this was my end-of-year goal! New goal is to try for 145 x 5. I added two back-off sets for volume, 100 x 5 x 2.

    Bench press --

    Warm-ups: 95 x 5
    135 x 3

    Working sets: 160 x 5 x 5; plus 5 next time. I feel my leg drive is improving with these volume workouts; we'll see if it translates into a better intensity day next week.

    BB (Pendlay) Rows --

    Working sets: 175 x 8 x 3; plus 5 next time.

    Duration: 1h:05m.

  2. #152
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    11/17 Measurement Sunday

    Weight -- spot 194.0 (-0.6); weekly avg 194.8 (+2.1); long-term avg 193.8 (+0.1) A really great week for calories intake.

    LBM -- spot 174.2 (-0.8); long-term avg 174.0 (nc)

    Fat -- spot 19.8 (+0.2); long-term avg 19.8 (+0.1) for a BF% = ~10.2%.

    All trend-lines are stable and flat, with no signals of process change. LBM and Total Weight show some early signs of possible shifts in average upward, but still way too early to signal a change.

    For body-part measures, the most significant change was a 1/4th inch increase in my forearm circumference. Doesn't sound like much, but for a body-part that has been absolutely stuck at one level to show even such a small change seems pretty important. I think using the hook grip on my deads this week triggered some swelling in the area; we'll see next week if it is just a random measurement change. Other than that, everything pretty much looks stable and steady.

    In terms of lifting targets for 2019, I've already made my squat and press goals; I broke through my deadlift stall this week and expect to see increases coming. And my volume work on the bench press has me feeling much more confident in my leg drive technique, so that I think I could see a breakthrough this week coming, too. Target for the bench is 205 x 5 (currently 180 x 4); and for the deadlift is 365 x 5 (currently 335 x 3).

    I've eased off on the machine rowing, and probably will stay reduced for the remainder of the year, to start picking up again after New Year's in prep for spring season. For now, it was taking up too many calories and I felt my recovery from lifting days was being inhibited. My last big machine row session earlier this week was followed by a terrible night of bad sleep, which led me to conclude to reduce rowing for better rest.

    Later today will be the start of the 25th week of Starting Strength; I am on the 4-day split, MED variation (a la Reynolds and Hambrick), with auxiliary exercises to go with the 4 main lifts; it's my first week at using their 3-week mesocycle (5/3/1).

  3. #153
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    11/17 (eve) Session 25-1; heavy squat x 5, some vol back-off sets; deadlift assist for vol; pressing assist; plus Beefcake

    Opened and warmed up with the "Beefcake" routine - push-ups (x 12 with 10-pound weighted vest on), band-assisted pull-ups (x 10), and skull crushers (x 10@45 pounds); 3 supersets. Next time -- push-ups to 15 per; pull-ups to 12 per; skull crushers to 12 per but increase weight to 50 pounds.

    On to the Main Event!

    Squat (intensity) --

    Warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2
    225 x 5
    275 x 3
    315 x 2

    Working set: 350 x 5; Back-off (vol) sets: 305 x 5 x 2; next time is 355 x 3 trial, with 2 back-off sets at 310.

    Romanian Deadlift (volume) --

    Warm-ups: 135 x 5
    225 x 5
    275 x 3

    Working sets: 315 x 5 x 3; plus 5 next time.

    Dips (press assist) -- 8 x 3 with a 10-pound weighted vest on.

    Duration -- 0h+20m for beefcake; 10 minutes rest and prep weights; 1h+05m for main workout.

    NOTE: I have discovered that I am approaching a mechanical limit to my progression. I currently workout with a 6-foot, 35-pound Olympic bar. While I have plenty of plates to get me to any (previously unimaginable) weight that I might care to lift, the length of the bar outside the collars is fast running out of room to put any more plates on. I think I can safely make my 2019 goals with existing equipment. But it is clear that I need more -- I will put a 7-foot, 45-pound bar on my Santa's wish list, and hope/expect that the extra length will give me more room to load more weight on the bar for 2020.

  4. #154
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    11/18 Session 25-2, bench press (intensity), press (volume), pulling assist

    Bench Press --

    Warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2
    95 x 5
    135 x 3

    Working set: 180 x 5; had been only to get 4 reps last time, so this was a successful attempt to clear that "strike"; I followed it up with two back-off sets for some volume at 155 x 5 x 2. Go to 182.5 for next week, aiming for my 3 rep set on the second week of the mesocycle.

    Press --

    Warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2
    95 x 5
    105 x 3

    Working sets: 115 x 4 x 4; last week, I had attempted this weight at 5 x 5, but that was just too much volume. I'll go for 116 next week and try for 5 x 5, but I'll be happy at 4 x 4.

    Rack pulls (pulling assist) -- Working sets: 315 x 5 x 3; going heavy and will try 365 next time this comes up in the rotation.

    Duration -- 1h+10m.

  5. #155
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    11/19 Latin dancing, bachatta and salsa. Solid lessons, mostly working back to earlier novice days, but with a lot of emphasis on holding a solid frame and muscle control. I give myself about 65 minutes worth of "cardio" over the 2 hour session.

  6. #156
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    11/20 Session 25-3; deadlift (intensity), squat (volume), pressing assist.

    Opened with the Beefcake1 workout -- 3 supersets: 15 pushups (weight vest = +10), 12 pullups (ankle weight= +10), 12 LTEs @ 50#.

    Duration 0h+25m; took a 10 minute rest and then went into main event.

    Deadlift --

    Warm-ups: 135 x 5
    225 x 5
    275 x 3
    315 x 1

    Working set: 340 x 0 (F). I was aiming for 1 or 2 reps as this would have been my highest weight ever attempt, and I had gotten 3 reps at 335 last week. Well, the weight came off the floor, at least, but never got any higher than mid-shin (about a half-inch total distance traveled). I made sure that I hung in for a solid count of 5 or 6 to try to grind and give the bar enough time to move, but it didn't. Took a nice 5 minute break and tried again, same result. OK, so then I decided to just do my 2 back-off volume sets, using 315, and couldn't even get them moving. I guess I used up the entire reserve. Next time, I will not do Beefcake1 for the warm-up. Also, next week is a 3-rep mesocycle week, so I will go for 335 again.

    Squat --

    Warm-ups: 135 x 5
    225 x 5
    275 x 3

    Working sets: 295 x 5 x 5; no problem, plus 5 next time.

    Ring Dips -- 8 x 3.

    Duration -- 1h+10m.

    My lovely wife presented me with an early Yule gift yesterday -- a 7 foot, 45 pound power bar. So I got to use it today and wow! is there a lot more room on the sleeves for more plates! I'm kinda bummed about missing my deadlift, but the bar sure felt nice in my hands.

  7. #157
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    Bruce,
    Seems like you have mastered the recovery. Can you give me what has been working for you?

    Thanks Travis, 46

  8. #158
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    Travis,

    Well, I wish - mastering the recovery is work-in-progress. But about two or three weeks ago, I migrated from the typical NLP Mon-Wed-Fri schedule to a 4-day split, just to help me spread things out a bit and make recovery a bit easier. What seems to be working for me best right now is the modifications to the typical SS programming covered under Matt Reynolds and his "Minimum Effective Dosage" techniques.

  9. #159
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    11/21 eve dancing lessons, bachatta and salsa. Nice way to take a rest day! Good sweat going, too. Credit about 50 minutes of "cardio".

  10. #160
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    starting strength coach development program
    11/22 Session 25-4; press (intensity), bench press (volume), pulling assist

    Press --

    Warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2
    95 x 5
    105 x 3
    115 x 1

    Working set: 132.5 x 2F; well, I was aiming for 5, would have been happy with 3, and actually had the bar moving upward on #3, but could not get it to full lock-out. Added 2 back-off sets for volume -- 112.5 x 5 x 2. Next week is a 3RM week, and I'll use this weight again to get 3 good form reps. BTW, I am still using Press 1.0 (basic form, no layback pump). Might have to start practicing at a lighter weight to fine-tune the movement pattern for press 2.0.

    Bench Press --

    Warm-ups: 95 x 5
    135 x 3

    Working sets: 165 x 5 x 5. Start using 2.5 pound increases on volume day, otherwise my volume day will soon overtake my intensity day (which will be 182.5 for 3RM next week).

    Halting Deadlifts --

    Working sets: 275 x 8 x 3

    Duration: 1h+25m

    This concludes the 5RM week of the MED/5/3/1 variant. I achieved my squat and bench press targets; the deadlift target was a 3RM test and I missed it, but will repeat at the same weight next week; and I missed my press target, but will repeat at same weight next week. Bench Press is still progressing towards my end-of-year goals, while I've already accomplished my Squat and Press 2019 goals. Deadlift is still a challenge, but I feel that I am wearing the blockage down and will be able to start moving small steps forward over the next couple of weeks.

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