Rod’s NLP

[Rod J]

2024-01-04 (Thursday)
170.2 lbs

Squat (L) 240x5x3
Press 127.5x3x5
Deadlift 275x5x2

Not a terrible session. Still having trouble getting a straight bar path on the press. I let it get away from me when heavy. Time to re-read the press section of the blue book

[Rod J]

2024-01-06 (Saturday)

Squat (M) 255x5
Bench 182.5x5x3
Chins, 8, 5, 5

[Rod J]

Been a little while.

1/09/2024
Squat 315x3x5
Bench 182.5x5x3
Deadlift 260x5x2


1/11/2024 (in Atlanta)
245x5x3
185x5x3 (PR)
285x5

Started not feeling well…

1/16/2024
Squat 285x5x3
Press 130x5x3
Deadlift 290x5

I got very sick for a week. My blood platelets got really low and felt really tired. Tried to train but even wearing a belt was bruising me and was feeling lightheaded

1/24/2024
squat 255x5x3
Bench 185x3x5
Deadlift 295x5

1/26/2024
Squat 225x5
Press 120x5x3
Chins 8,7,5

1/29/2024
Squat 280x5 (H)
Bench 185x5x3
Deadlift 265x5x2

2/2/2024
Squat 260x5x3 (M)
Bench 187.5x5x3 PR
Chins 8,8,6

2/5/2024
Squat 285x5x3 (H)
Press 125x5x3
Deadlift 270x5x2

2/7/2024
Squat 235x5x3
Bench 190x5x3
Chins 8,8,7

2/9/2024
Squat 265x5x3
Press 127.5x5x3
Deadlift 280x5x2

[Rod J]

I started to develop tendinitis in my elbow and spoke to my coach. The main culprit was the squat grip, so I widened the grip a bit to make sure I was not bearing any weight with my arms and this also allowed my inflexible shoulders to get the low bar position.

2/12/2024
Squat 290x5x3
Press 127.5x5x3
Deadlift 275x5x2

2/14/2024
Squat 240x5x3
Bench - I was supposed to pick a pain free weight but was still able to work up to 192.5x5x3

2/16/2024
Squat 270x5x3
Press 130x5x3
Chins max I got was 5 I think. These were hard because my elbow was messed up

2/19/2024
Squat 295x5x3
Bench 195x5x3 PR
Deadlift 235x5x2

2/21/2024
Squat245x5x3
Press 132.5x5x3 PR
Deadlift 285x5

2/23/2024
Squat 275x5x3
Bench - was told not to push through any weight so did 195x5x3 controlled

2/26/2024
Squat 295x5x3 widened grip
Press 125x5x2

My blood pressure got really low and I got dizzy after this. Plus I got stalked by an older lady who kept questioning about me about where I was going if I’m married or not and tried to give me a greeting card to profess her love to me or something on the way home. She even followed me onto the bus and I had to yell at her and get off at an early stop to get away. Weirdo.

2/28/2024
Squat 250x5x3
Bench 197.5x5x2 197.5x4 (ugh)
Deadlift 290x5

3/01/2024
Squat 280x5x3
Press 127.5x5x3
Chins 5

3/04/2024
Squat 300x5x3 (misload)
Bench 200x4, 185x5x2
Deadlift 245x5x2

3/06/2024
Squat 255x5x3
Press 130x5x3
Deadlift 300x5

3/08/2024
Coach programmed volume for bench
Squat 285x5x3
Bench 197.5x5, 165x5x4
Chins 9,3,3 Still finding that I can’t do as many reps after the first set even after resting for the recommended amount of time (or a minute or two extra)

3/11/2024
Squat 305x5x3
Press 127.5x5x2, 132.5x5 (wrong order 🤦🏽‍♂️)
Deadlift 250x5x2

And I’m up to date. That was some typing

[Rod J]

2024-03-13
Squat 260x5x3
Bench 197.5x5x3
Deadlift 305x5

Still some elbow and bicep soreness and a bit of pain but no debilitating pain I guess. I think it’s getting better. I kind of wonder if I can add 5 pounds twice a week to the deadlift

Forgot to weigh myself this morning because I had a medical appointment to get to but I was 182 on Monday

[Rod J]

2024-03-25 (Friday) Beware the ides of March!
Squat (M) 290x5x3
Press (I) 135x5, 120x5x2
Chins 5,5,5,4

[Rod J]

2024-03-25 (Monday)
Squat (H) 310x5x3
Bench (V) 200x3, 165x5x4
Deadlift (L) 255x5x2

Morning weight: 182.0 😕

[carson]

I still don't understand why you aren't doing the novice progression. It's up to you but virtually everyone does it for their start for reporting in this forum. It's hard to gauge your progression without it.

[Rod J]

I still don't understand why you aren't doing the novice progression. It's up to you but virtually everyone does it for their start for reporting in this forum. It's hard to gauge your progression without it.

I appreciate the input. To give a bit more background, I started out with light weights and just following the programming and technique from the blue book, adding 5 pounds a session and deadlifting every session. I felt that after reaching the point when it was hard to recover from deadlifting every session (at around 325x5 deadlift), I should reach out to a Starting Strength Coach to learn the power clean. I actually didn’t end up learning the power clean, but got coached through the other lifts to improve my form and we started online sessions. After working together for a bit, my coach eventually changed the programming, adding volume days for the presses and a HLM for the squat adding 5 pounds a week.

Do you think I should ask about trying to do a strictly linear progression for longer?

I think that you bring up a good point about questioning the rationale behind some of these decisions a bit more, but if I was to give you an honest answer, I’m mostly just following what my coach says to do as 1. figuring out whether I am at my novice limit could be hard to gauge myself and 2. I am assuming that experience and expertise leaves my coach better equipped to make these decisions than me. Do you have any suggestions?

[carson]

I'm mainly wondering why he has you jumping all over the place with your "progression". Moreover, the deadlift top weight is 5 x 1, no 5 x 2. Still, since you have a coach, he is closer to your program than I am.