A College Guy's Rippetoe Experience

23 December 2013

Squats: 2 x 5 x 290, 1 x 4 x 290
Overhead Press: 2 x 5 x 125, 1 x 4 x 125
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 350

Comments: I’m not sure if this deep bouncy squat is allowed or not, but seems okay so far. I had to jump up extra on the overhead press because of plate limitations, which is why I didn’t make my reps. Deadlift was okay because I had chalk. Pretty girl at the gym today–she might have been looking at me too.

25 December 2013

Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 205
Squats: 3 x 5 x 290
Chin-ups: 10, 8, 5 x bodyweight

27 December 2013

Squat: 3 x 5 x 295
Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 125
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 355

30 December 2013

Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 210
Squat: 1 x 5 x 300, 1 x 10 x 225, 1 x 6 x 225
Chin-ups: 10, 8 x bodyweight

Comments: Bench press wasn’t hard. I fell on my first squat attempt because I was doing that bouncy way and lost my balance. I switched back to parallel and that was harder, so I changed the weight to work on my form. Chin-ups were okay.

I think my increases are slowing down because I haven’t gained weight these past 2 weeks or so.

6 January 2014

Bench Press: 1 x 5 x 215, 1 x 4 x 215, 1 x 2 x 215
Squat: 3 x 5 x 225
Chin-ups: 2 x 10 x bodyweight

Comments: First day back, so I took it easy. I need to gain weight.

8 January 2014

Overhead Press: 2 x 5 x 130, 1 x 4 x 130
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 360

Comments: Squat rack was taken, so I didn’t do that today.

20 January 2014

Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 130
Deadlift: 1 x 1 x 370
Chinups: 1 x 12 x bodyweight, 1 x 8 x bodyweight

Comments: Overhead press was good–I used a narrower grip this time. Deadlift was bad, obviously. I think I did 365 last workout and just didn’t write it down, so I’m chalking this up to neglect of diet. I’ve been better about diet/sleep this past day or 2, so I just have to stay on it. Chinups were okay.

22 January 2014

Dumbbell Curls: 3 x 5 x 45
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 365
Bench Press: 1 x 4 x 215, 1 x 4 x 205, 1 x 3 x 205

25 January 2014

Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 135
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 370
Chinups: 10, 8, 6 x bodyweight

Comments: Everything was fine. Gaining weight helps a lot.

27 January 2014

Weight: 205 (after lunch)

Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 205
Dumbbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 50
Squat: 3 x 5 x 275

Comments: Bench press was easy. Dumbbell curls were okay. Squat was a bit difficult, but that might have been because I haven’t done it in several weeks and my form was rusty.

29 January 2014

Overhead Press: 2 x 4 x 140, 1 x 2 x 140
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 375
Barbell Curl: 3 x 5 x 100

Comments: Overhead press was surprisingly difficult. My balance was off, which made it more difficult, but I was mostly surprised at how much of a difference 5 lbs makes. Deadlift and barbell curl weren’t bad.

4 February 2014

Weight: 210

Overhead Press: 3 x 5 x 137.5
Barbell Curl: 1 x 5 x 105, 2 x 4 x 105
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 365

Comments: Overhead press was okay. I should have micro-loaded the curl. Deadlift I took pauses between the reps, so I dropped the weight to see what it was like. It was okay, although tiring on the back.

6 February 2014

Bench Press: 3 x 5 x 212.5
Chin-ups: bodyweight x 12, 8, 5
Squat: 1 x 1 x 285

Comments: Bench press was easy. I abandoned the squat because my back was feeling weird. I think it was residual fatigue from the deadlift combined with doing the chin-ups first. In the future, I will make sure not to do that.

8 February 2014

Dips: bodyweight x 10, 9, 9
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 370

Comments: Gym was crowded, so I had to adjust my workout plans. Dips were fine. They were just difficult because I haven’t done them in forever. Deadlift was hard and my form was bad. I think I need to switch to doing them every other B workout like Rippetoe suggests. My lower back isn’t able to recover fast enough.

15 February 2014

Dips: bodyweight x 15, 10, 9
Squats: 3 x 5 x 275

Comments: Took a week off because of back pain. Gym closed at 8 so I could only do dips and squats. Dips and squats were both easy.

18 February 2014

Squat: 3 x 5 x 280
Overhead Press: 2 x 4 x 140, 1 x 3 x 140
Chin-ups: bodyweight x 13, 8, 6

Comments: Squats were easy. Overhead press was difficult–probably should have lowered the weight for my first day back doing them. Chin-ups were fine.

20 February 2014

Squat: 3 x 5 x 285
Bench Press: 2 x 5 x 215, 1 x 4 x 215

Comments: Squats were fine. I should have made all my reps on the bench press. I’m chalking it up to a combination of short rest times and it being my 1st day back doing the bench press.

22 February 2014

Bodyweight: 210 (last night)

Dips: 3 x 5 x +45
Chin-ups: 1 x 5 x +45, 2 x 4 x +45, 1 x 8 x bodyweight
Squat: 3 x 5 x 290

Comments: Dips were easy. Chin-ups were surprisingly difficult–not as much carryover from high-rep sets as I would have thought. Squat was fine. I’ve widened my stance some.

25 February 2014

Squats: 3 x 5 x 295
Overhead Press: 1 x 4 x 140
Dips: 10, 8, 4 x bodyweight

Comments: Not a good workout. Squats made my back tired, which messed up my overhead press. I switched to dips, but was already tired. I also tweaked my elbow a bit.

I may switch to 5/3/1 for my cut. Not sure yet.

1 March 2014

Weight: 212 (yesterday?)

Overhead Press: 2 x 4 x 140, 1 x 3 x 140
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x 380

Comments: Overhead press seems to be stuck. Maybe focus on dips for a while? Deadlift makes my back sore, but I feel like I can do a little more weight.