Hey everyone, I wanted to start a training log to map my progress and get feedback from you guys.
I basically have 2 years of random lifting experience which has yielded no results. Last summer I did Chad Waterbury’s “Huge in a Hurry” program and actually put on about 12 pounds. I stopped training for about two months and I’m back to my default weight of 165lbs at 6’2. So now, I’m going to stick to starting strength and ride it out until I can’t anymore. My goal is to actually achieve a level of respectable strength.
My lifts are as follows:
BP-125x1
MP-80x1
DL-225x1
Squat- 175x1
Pull ups-6
Power Clean-125
As you guys can see, I’m seriously lacking in the strength department. I ultimately want to DL 405, squat 315, BP 225 and press 155, with a body weight of 190. I’d like to achieve this within two years.
My workouts look like this:
A
Squat
BP
Power Clean
B
Squat
MP
DL
Pull ups
All exercises have 2 warm up sets and 3 work sets, with the exception of the DL (two warm up sets, one work set). I do this 3 days a week with a day off between each and two days at the end of the week.
I’ve got workout A tomorrow, so I’ll post tomorrow.
Squat 125x5x3. Had some difficulties on the last few reps
BP 85x5x3 No problem.
PC 90x5x3 No problem.
Had a weekend of little sleep, crappy eating and alcohol. Missed a workout
1-31
Squat 135x5,3,3 Lame as crap, almost missed the last rep of the last two sets.
MP 65x5,5,3 Blah.
DL 165x5x1. Not too bad.
Pull Ups 4.5, 2, 1. This sucks…
So the blizzard hit central Illinois and wrecked my training schedule because the campus was closed.
2-4
Squat 135x5x4x3. I bailed on the 5th rep of the second set.
BP 90x5x5x5. Felt about right.
Power clean 95x5x5x5.
I’m really starting to clean up my squat form, I’ve had trouble with hip mobility and my lower back position. I’m going to reset the weight on Monday and drop back down to 115 and really focus on the form. I’m officially back down to 160lbs, this SUCKS.
Man I suck…excuses for the training stoppage are numerous and boil down to being lazy. Back on Starting Strength this week! I’ve got greater motivation for training now because of my universities upcoming Ultimate Frisbee season. Been running and lifting three days a week. This week is going to look like this:
7-19
Decided to take up hill sprints. They suck. I have a pretty monstrous hill about 10 minutes from the house so I’ve decided to start a simple progression program. I ran up and walked down 10 times, which equated to roughly 10-13 seconds of all out sprinting effort with around 45 seconds of walking down. This was the easiest part of the hill.
7-20
Squat 105x5x5
BP 85x5x5
Power Clean 85x5x5
1 minute plank
7-21
More hill sprints. Moved to a slightly harder part of the hill. Ran up/walked down 10 times, with an extra one minute break on the 7th run. Goal is to move the break a little further back to the end of the set every time until it’s eliminated completely. Going to add one more run every week, while maintaining a long, slow run as the only exercise of the weekend.
7-22
This workout will look like this
Squat 115x5x5
MP 55x5x3
DL 195x5x1
Chins xxxx
This week I decided to give a wide powerlifting stance a try. In the spirit of “so you think you can squat” and some various articles by Dave Tate about squat technique. I used a box for my warm ups to help reinforce the sitting back part of the lift and it worked well. Friday the 29th I decided to remove the box and do 145 with the wide stance and it was difficult but I completed it.
7-29
Squat 145x5x3
BP 95x5x3
PC 95x5x3
3 sets of planks, two sets of moderate weight hypers.
8-1 Monday
Squat 150x5x3 Decided to switch back to a narrower stance after reading through Starting Strength’s squat description. I know it can’t be a good idea to keep switching between the two stances. I like the wide stance more, but general athletic development and strength is the goal of getting stronger. I think it makes more sense to go narrower in this case. It was hard as hell, I’m noticing that my knees start to bow in and quiver around half way up. I also think I’m having trouble getting out of the hole. The program is no longer easy, but I’m assuming that’s the way it’s suppose to be.
MP 60x5x3 Going up 5 next workout
DL 225x5x1 Fcking hard but managed to pull it out with my back still in tact.
Pull ups- it seems like a more retarded idea to do pull ups after squating, pressing and deadlifting every time i go into the gym. My entire body is shot after going heavy on all these lifts and pull ups aren’t getting stronger it seems.
This is about the time I’ll usually change programs or stop going to the gym because it’s getting hard. My biggest concern at this point is the breakdown of my technique. I usually get frustrated at my lack of being able to complete my squat workouts.
It’s hard to look an old log in the face and realize a year later you haven’t significantly progressed.
HOWEVER, Around mid-May I re-committed to lifting and got all my shit in order (sleep, food and lifting). Here’s what I’ve done so far
Mid-May
164 lbs
Squat 95x5x3
DL 135x5x1
MP 50x5x3
BP 75x5x3
Bent Row 75x5x3
Will be adding Power cleans to my program in place of rows
Late August
180 lbs
Squat 200x5x3
DL 225x5x1
MP 80x5x3
BP 120x5x3
Row 125x5x3
PC- Still working on my form with low weights.
I’ve got the food, the program (SS) and the drive this time around. I’ve set some conservative goals by the end of the year. It seems like the biggest factor holding me back is going to be form, historically my presses have been garbage. Anyhow, here we go!
GOALS FOR 3rd Week of December:
195 lbs (still fit into my size 32 jeans)
Squat 275 for 3 sets of 5
DL 315x5
BP 165x5
MP 115x5
ROW 165x5
P.C. 165x5
Really trying to hammer home my squat form, if I can keep moving my squat up I’ll be happy. Tomorrow will be a good teller, I’ll be doing 190x5 and my deadlift will also begin to be in uncharted territory at 235 for 5. Exciting times for sure.
