STK's Training

Training Training Logs
1

6’ 145 lbs. BF% don’t know, but fairly low

Goals (in order of importance):
Strength Gains
Hypertrophy
Fat Loss

Having recently bought Starting Strength, I am doing the following workouts. I work out M/W/F and alternate between A and B.

A:
Squat-warmup then 3x5 work
Press-warmup then 3x5 work
Deadlift-warmup then 3x5 work
BB curl supersetted with DB overhead triceps extension-3x8
Weighted decline situps-4xfailure

B:
Squat-warmup then 3x5 work
Bench-warmup then 3x5 work
Bent-Over BB Row-warmup then 3x5 work
Dips-3xfailure
Weighted decline situps-4xfailure

07/14/08
Squat
-barx8, 95x6, 115x5, 125x5
-3x5@135, 2x5@155

Press
-barx8, 55x5
-3x5@60 (This is by far my weakest lift)

Deadlift
-95x5
-2x5@135, 1x5@155, 2x5@165

Tri. Ext. + BB Curl
-3x8@35/45

Weighted Decline Situps
-4x15 w/ 45 lb plate

Now that I have determined what I can lift without compromising form or burning myself out, the following logs will be more ordered.

2

I am planning on continuing this program until I am no longer making strength gains–ideally 10# per session on the squat and deads, and 5# per session on the bench, press, and rows.

Once progress stops, I’ll likely switch to Thib’s Beast Building as it looks like it suits my goals, but I’d prefer to be in better shape and possess greater tolerance before doing his program.

3

07/16/08
weight 146.8
This weight is likely a little underestimated because I weighted myself after my workout and biking in the heat. Dehydration sucks.

Squat
-barx8, 95x5, 115x5, 125x5, 135x5
-3x5@155

Bench
-barx8, 55x5, 65x5, 75x5
-3x5@95 (another disproportionately weak lift)

Bent-Over BB Row
-barx8, 65x5, 75x5, 75x5
-3x5@85

BB Curl
-2x8@55, 1x8@45

Dips
-3x5 BW

Weighted Decline Situps
3x10 w/45# DB

Biked before and after workout. Feel absolutely fried, but pain from squats and deads is nearly gone.

4

Squatting still incredibly tiring, guess that never really stops.

Looking to improve press and bench, any uncommon advice?

5

[quote]STK wrote:
Looking to improve press and bench, any uncommon advice?[/quote]

You might cut down the number of reps on your last few warmup sets.

I mean, pressing 5x55 followed by 3 work sets of 60 is pretty much 4 work sets. You can probably get away with just pushing 55 once or twice.

Good choice of program. No pullups? :slight_smile:

6

Thanks, I’ll do that.

For right now, no pullups. I’ll incorporate them in soon, but as of now, I have difficulty with a single unassisted rep. I know the only direct solution is to try to work pullups anyway, but maybe if I can get my rowing poundage up more, I’ll be able to make some headway. I hope.

7

Weight before workout: 143.2
Uh-oh, gotta eat more. Indonesian chili tonight ought to handle that.

I should probably mention that I’m using a bathroom scale and as such, there’s probably a few pounds margin of error.

8

07/18/08

Fuck today was tough. Gym was really crowded so I pressed before deads and finished squatting. Press weight didn’t go up and I felt some pain in my right upper back. Progressed on squats and deads however. Completely beat at end of workout so no abs or bis/tris today.

Press
-barx8, 55x5
-2x5@60, stopped, reduced weight 1x8@45
THIS SUCKED.

Deads
-95x8, 135x5, 155x5,
-3x5@175
Felt strong the whole way through.

Squats
-barx8, 115x5, 135x5, 155x3
-@175, 1x5,1x3,1x5
Felt sick on the 2nd set and didn’t want to push it. Finished strong on the last set of 5 though. Next workout I’ll try to get all 3.

Biked before and after workout. Heat around 95 all day.

I’m going to be without a gym for the next week so I’ll cram in another session on saturday. Probably go light on the squatting but I’ll try to bench and row.

Considering doing pullups instead of press considering my pulling strength is horrible and that mysterious trap pain.

9

Now I understand why the squats were so hard today…I made a 20# jump by mistake. Whoops.

10

Finally back to training.

Power Clean
-95x3
-105x3
-95x3

Deads
-135x7
-145x5
-155x3
-165x2
-185x2
-195x2
-200x2 sloppy

Back Squats
-135x5
-155x3
-165x2
-175x2

11

Power Cleans
-95x3
-105x3
-110x3

T-Bar Rows
-70x8
-80x5
-85x3x2

Back Squats
-135x5
-155x3x6
-135x10 exhausting

12

Hard today

warmed up w/ 5 minute row

Bench
-5x5x80
Incline
-3x5x55
Press
-5x5x45
Push Press
-3x3x65
Tate Press
-3x5x10

13

Back Squat
-warm up sets
-8x2 at 185
-1x15 at 135

planned to do similar work on deads, but hands weren’t up for it

14

Starting tomorrow morning, I start the smolov intro microcycle w/ a projected 1RM of 200 lbs.

This will be followed by a 3 week block of smolov jr., then, by the regular smolov cycles.

I realize that conventional wisdom warns against someone of my mass even trying this kind of training, but really, fuck that.

15

Day 1: Microcyle
back squat
-3x8 at 130
-1x5 at 140
-2x2 at 150
-1x1 at 160

other work
bench-5x5 at 85
bent over row-5x5 at 75
bb curl-5x5 at 45

16

Day 2: Microcycle
back squat
-3x8 at 130
-1x5 at 140
-2x2 at 150
-1x1 at 160

other work
push press 5x5 at 65
chins 4x5 at bw
db rows 3x5 at 30

17

side note: I have never seen the gym this crowded. I’m fortunate enough to work out at the University of Delaware’s massive and well-equipped gym, but today when I walked in, there was not a single open free weight area. Every rack, bench, stand, and machine was occupied or about to be occupied.

18

Day 3: Microcyle
back squat
-4x5 at 140
-1x3 at 150
-2x2 at 160
-1x1 at 180
-1x1 at 185
-1x1 at 200

The last two singles weren’t prescribed by the program, but I felt shitty throughout the beginning of the workout, which contributed to a lack of intensity at the lower weights. I compensated with the two extra singles.

other work:
bench 5x5 at 90
bent over row 5x5 at 80
bb curl 5x5 at 50

started feeling dead, ended feeling awesome, likely will wake up tomorrow feeling more dead.