Brian's strength log
 

Started a strength program on Monday, so I thought I'd log it here. Open to any criticism / suggestions as this goes on. Starting with an SS MWF only program right now, with maybe some metcon on Saturdays if I'm feelin' froggy. There will be some trial and error with food, as well as any extra work I can tolerate as I build up tolerance for the program.

Height: 6'3"
Weight: About 220 (heavier than I normally am)
Don't really know 1RM's, but these are 5RM's going in, with the disclaimer that I haven't done some lifts for a while because I've been doing a lot of aerobic training for a half marathon.

5RM's
Squat: 170
Bench: 155
Press: 115
DL: 215
Clean: Have to work on this. Right now I've only been doing hang cleans to get used to the movement.

Not doing GOMAD or anything like that, particularly since I have somewhat high BF compared to where I usually am. I'll probably be looking to eat roughly 3500 cal/day, and will tweak based on results under the bar.

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Ongoing PR's
Edit: Going to be keeping PR's tracked in this first post. Will try to keep updated and add dates as I get them. This is for major lifts:

Front Squat: 235x5 (5/21/11)
Decline BP: 255x5 (5/19/11)
DB Snatch: 110x5
DB Rows: 130x9 (5/23/11)
Press: 160x5 (5/23/11), 175x1 (5/23/11)
Deadlift: 425x5 (5/24/11),
BP: 215x5 (4/25/11), 225x2 (4/25/11)

Currently not doing Back Squat due to shoulder issues. I am also not documenting accessory lifts beyond what is here for now.

Mon Sept 28

I had squatted 2 days prior and was too sore to do them this workout. Need to adapt to the SS frequency

Warmup: Jumprope 5 mins
Press: 45#x5x2
65x5
85x3
105x2
120x5x3

DL: 45x5
95x5
135x5
175x3
205x2
225x5
backoff: 185x5x2



Tuesday: rest

I realize I forgot to list goals in here. I'm hoping I'm able to hit these targets before the effectiveness of this program tapers off; I will modify as appropriate thereafter.

I'm going for the following, which seems reasonable and ambitious enough given current strength balances:

Bench: 225#
Press: 155#
Squat: 325#
Deadlift: 365#

Time period: 6 months

I don't have a pulse on the PC, but that's the lift I'm least concerned with right now, as I consider it less a pure strength gauge.

Wed Sept 30

Bowling

Workout:
Somehow got my wires crossed and thought my previous BP PR was 170 instead of 155, so the progression below reflects that. Amazingly, I got the 175 worksets, though, so my previous supposed 5RM must have been BS.

Jumprope 5 mins
15 Back Extensions
15 Stiups
(this warmup may change as my capacity improves into the program, but I'm not pushing my luck first week in)

Squat: 45#x5x2
95x5
125x3
155x2
175x5x3

BP: 45x5x2
75x5
115x3
155x2
175x5x3

Chins: 6, 5, 3

Same load on squats and BP heh. Hopefully this program will work that out.

Thu Oct 1: Rest

Fri Oct 2: Have some major chest DOMS today, but not so bad for me to avoid doing presses.

Warm-up: 10 mins eliptical

(weight*reps*sets)
Squat: 45#x5
95x5
125x3
155x2
180x5x1, 185x5x2
Was original going to do 180 for work sets, but felt I could get a little more in

Press: 45x5
65x5
85x5
105x2
125x5x2, 125x4
Couldn't get the fifth rep on the third work set - argh! I think chest soreness played into this, though, so not too bummed. I'm going to keep this as my work weight next time around but do AMRAP on the last work set.

Power Clean: Very inexperienced with these, so struggling with them right now. Ran out of time, but going to do some significant backoff work in the future to work on form.
45x5
65x5
95x5x2
115x5
125x5x2


Don't feel as smoked after this workout as some others. I'm going to start incorporating light off-day work a bit in the future and see how that affects the program.

Rested on the weekend.

Mon Oct 5
Warm-up and prelim sets on all exercises in the same style as previous.

Squat: 190x5x2, 195x5, 195x4
backoff: 135x5

Bench Press: 180x4, 175x4, 165x4
I had slight soreness still from last workout but really killed myself on first set, which ruined the follow-ups. I suspect getting overzealous last time w/ the 175's was too big a jump. Going to drop back to 165x5x3 for next BP workout to make sure I have a sustainable progression.

Chins: 6-5-3

Bench frustrated me but good progress with the squat. I need to work on form, though, so will ensure I do backoff work as often as possible there.

Tue Oct 6: Rest

Wed Oct 7
Warm-up: Jumprope and elipcial for about 10 mins between them

(weight*reps*sets)
Squat: 45x5
95x5
135x3
175x2
200#x5x3

Press: 45x5
65x5
85x3
105x2
125#x5x4

DL: 45x5
95x5
135x5
175x3
215x2
245#x5x1
Backoff: 185#x5x1

Everything felt great but the Press - I didn't make progress there for the second workout in a row. I'm going to give my pressing movements until next Friday and then consider what might be going wrong; I'm hoping my strengths might just be out of whack. I'm gaining steadily in squat and the pulls, but having issues with the pressing lifts. I did press fairly regularly before starting this program, which may also be a factor.


Weight: 222. I was probably around 218 9/28

Fri Oct 9:
Eliptical warm-up for 10 mins.

Squat: Muscle fatigue and a little knee tenderness. Worked on box squats for a while to get my flexibility going, as my lower back is collapsing at the bottom of my squats. Will start back heavy on Monday. Worked in the 45# - 155# range here.

BP: 45#x5
95x5
135x3
150x2
170x5x3
Felt good - back to 175 next time.

Power Cleans: 45#x5
95x5
115x5
135x5x2. Too much weight here; butchered form severely and my back paid for it. Will drop down next time.

Pull-ups: 5-5


Overall wasn't very happy with this workout.

Mon Oct 12

Weight: 221.5 - 1/2# below where I was last Wednesday. I guess I have to eat even more, although I feel like I've been eating quite a bit. Going to have to turn to Milk to get these calories in.


Warm-up: jumprope 5 mins

Squat: 45x5, 95x5, 145x3, 180x2, 210(F), 205#x5x3
Had a hard time maintaining posture here. I def have flexibility issues at the base of my squat. Going to do some research into fixing this.

Press: 45x5, 65x5, 85x3, 105x2, 125x5x3
Finally got it. First two heavy sets felt great and, as usual, struggled only on the last rep of the 125. Going to go 130 next time.

DL: 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 255x1. Tweaked my knee here. This is a recurring injury that's driven me nuts for years. Caused when I roll forward on my toes too much in a DL or squat.
Backoff: 135x5

Pull-ups: 5-5-5

Aside from the knee injury, I felt good today. Good energy even at the end.

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Post W/O: Ice on knee

Tue Oct 13 Rest day. Ice on knee.

Back soreness today. I have the exact same issue as OP here. Going to scale back my squat weight and do high box squats until I can correct this. I can't go through a several month-long strength cycle without correcting this early on, though.