The Final Push

floggg

Chins - 1 x 6, 1 x 3
Lat Pull Down (@ Lvl 6) - 2 x 10, 1 x 9
Bradley Press (@ 25kg) - 1 x 5, 1 x 4, 2 x 3, 1 x 4
One Arm DB Row (@ 30kg) - 3 x 5, 2 x 4
One Arm DB Shrug (@32.5kg) - 3 x 10
Reverse Incline Flies (@7.5kg) - 3 x 10
Low Rows (@ Lvl 8) - 3 x 10
Hyper Extension (@ 15kg) - 2 x 15
Roman Chair Leg Raises 2 x 15

floggg

Did my ankle in at the start of this week so only ended up with one day in the gym.

Bench (@ 55kg) - 3 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3
Incline DB Press (@ 20kg) - 2 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3, 1 x 4
Dips 1 x 10, 2 x 5
DB Concentration Curls (@ 12.5kg) - 1 x 8, 1 x 7, 1 x 8
Lying Triceps Extensions (@22.5kg) - 1 x 10, 1 x 9, 1 x 6
Seated DB Curls (@ 12.5kg) - 1 x 10, 1 x 9, 1 x 6

Press ups - 1 x 12, 1 x 9, supersetted with Sit ups - 2 x 20
Plank - 60 secs
Side Bridge - 60 secs

floggg

Bench Press (@ 55kg) - 3 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3
Incline DB Flies (@ 15kg) - 3 x 10
Seatd DB Curls (@ 12.5kg) - 2 x 10, 1 x 6
Dips - 1 x 10, 1 x 6, 1 x 5
DB Concentration Curls (@ 12.5kg) - 1 x 10, 1 x 7, 1 x 5
Lying Tri Extension (@ 22.5kg) - 3 x 10

floggg

Squat (@ 77.5kg) - 5 x 5
DB Lunge (@ 17.5kg) - 5 x 5
Deadlift (@77.5kg) - 5 x 5
Calf Raie (@ Lvl 9) - 2 x 10, 1 x 8
Hamstring Curls (@ Lvl 8) - 3 x 10

floggg

Pull Ups - 1 x 8, 1 x 4
Lat Pull Down (@ Lvl 6) - 1 x 10, 1 x 6, 1 x 5
Bradley Press (@ 25kg) - 5 x 5
One Arm Shoulder Row (@ 30kg) - 3 x 5, 1 x 4, 1 x 3
DB Shrug (@32.5kg) - 2 x 10, 1 x 8
Reverse Incline Flies (@ 7.5kg) - 3 x 10

Side Back Extension - 2 x 20
Windmill - 1 x 10, 1 x6
Side Bridge - 60 secs

FionaC

Sounds good keep it up!

floggg

FionaC wrote: »

Sounds good keep it up!

Thanks. Didn't think anybody actually read this thing!!

Anyway, have clearly let the log slip over the last while. Training hasn't (up until this week), just my record keeping.

I decided a few weeks ago that i need a change up. I had been trying to lose weight for a year and a half, and had done a good job of it too i think - had lost over 4 stone, from 16 stone last october, to 11.5 stone at the start of april. However, i found the last bit was getting harder and harder to shift, and my lifts were stalling big time, which was pissing me off, particularly my bench. Had also a lot of loose skin left, which i felt would take a while to tighten up, so even though i hadn't that much to lose, didn't feel like i would be sporting a 6 pack (or anything close) anytime soon.

So, decided for a change of focus, and was going to give starting strength a go. Had been wanting to do so for ages, but didn't feel like SS was conducive to weight loss.

Meant cutting back on cardio (other than weekly 5 a side), eating more and upping my protein intake. I had hoped that as long as i kept the diet relatively clean, i shouldn't add on much if any fat ( i had even read a couple of guys say that while they added weight on SS, the dropped BF % without particularly trying!). Was going good, plenty of chicken, tuna, and a litre of milk a day, low on carbs, and while i added two or three pounds after first 3 weeks, my measurements actually stayed same or dropped in some places, so seemed to have been working.

However....

Last week has been terrible - did my ankle in playing 5 a side (third time in 2 months) and started back in college this week. Not a good combo. Went to the physio, who has mandated three weeks of rest. A couple of heavy nights boozing didn't help either. End result was that with no training, my motivation to diet correctly went out the window and ended up eating crap all week. Put on a couple of pounds fat in a week!

So, tomorrow, i'm getting back onto a decent diet. Wil, obviously cut cals back down since i'm doing no training, and will have to start over again on the SS in two weeks time.

Feck it though, these things happen, and TBH i feel i need to cut lose on the diet front every now and then, if only to give me new found motivation going foward.

celestial

sorry to hear bout the injury. can't you just do upper body weights though? maybe not if you're in a cast, etc..

floggg

celestial wrote: »

sorry to hear bout the injury. can't you just do upper body weights though? maybe not if you're in a cast, etc..

No, not in a cast.

Yeah, you are right, i was told i could do upperbodystuff, although i was told on "machines". Had been thinking about it today, but i was wondering would it be worth it to change my whole routine entirely for the next two weeks, and then go back to SS which is mainly compound stuff? Thought it might be better to take it off and just go back with gusto?

Will prob be doing a bit of running next week all going well to test out the ankle and work up strength again.

cardio,shoot me

i wouldnt go near machines, i got hit by a car about 2 months back and couldnt do any leg stuff as i pulled my "calf muscle" (i think). id be careful on the bench though. I tend to tense my legs up alot while doing it.

floggg

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

i wouldnt go near machines, i got hit by a car about 2 months back and couldnt do any leg stuff as i pulled my "calf muscle" (i think). id be careful on the bench though. I tend to tense my legs up alot while doing it.

Hope the damage from the car wasn't too bad. Are you back training now?

Yea, i've been trying to get the hip drive going, so i do tense my legs as well.

Not a fan of the machines either myself either. Couldn't have even benched last week, as was on crutches. I got the Starting Strength book the other week, so i think i would be better off spending the next two weeks reading that than doing an upper body only programme.

Hope the damage from the car wasn't too bad. Are you back training now?

cardio,shoot me

yea im back , the legs healed all well, the three things that annoyed me most where " i was on cycle lane" " he hit me from behind" "he didnt stop to check if i was alright". the main problem when i got back was my first day benching i just tensed all up and almost dropped the bar in the pain of it all

floggg

I presume you were too busy being knocked down to get the f@ckers licence plate?

Good to hear you're recovered. 'Tis a bitch not being able to train!

cardio,shoot me

yea i didnt catch the licence plate, didnt even realise i had gotten hit by a car until i saw my bikes back wheel thought i had just fallen over

floggg

Woo Hooooo!

Got the all clear from the physio today to go back training. I can now run in straight lines and also lift weights. Will maybe reset again on my lifts by 5 - 10% (especially on squat and deads) just to be on the safe side. Was already going to drop back squats a lot anyway, as after reading SS i realised just how bad my squat form was.

Will be back in training with a vengence on Monday (off on the piss for the weekend!).

floggg

Squats
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 5 @ 40kg
1 x 2 @ 50kg
3 x 5 @ 60kg

Bench
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
1 x 2 @ 50kg
2 x 5, 1 x 4 @ 55kg

Deadlift
1 x 5 @ 40kg
1 x 5 @ 50kg
1 x 3 @ 60kg
1 x 2 @ 70kg
1 x 5 @ 80kg

Dips
1 x 10, 1 x 6

Hyper Extension
2 x 10 @ 10kg

First day back in the gym after two weeks out injured. I wasn't expecting too much TBH - between the two weeks off, a poor diet during that time and a very heavy weekend away boozing from which i hadn't fully recovered i was expecting some sort of rustiness.

I dropped the weight back on the squats by 20kg, as am trying to reconstruct my form. I videoed my squat two weeks ago, and wasn't happy with what i say. i wasn't holding my lower back position at all, and was bending my back down more than sitting down deep into the squat. rather than a straight range of motion on the bar, it was jerking back and forward on the way down and back up.

Still, even with the 20kg drop, it still did not go well. First set was ok, but only, whereas 2nd and third were bad. still couldn't keep the lower back position held, and last two reps were pathetic. not sure how much of it i can attribute to the beer at the weekend, but willt try again at that weight next time round. i felt the weight fairly heavy as well. i am struggling with the thumb over the bar close grip recommended by rippetoe - it just doesn't seem right to me after doing it differently for so long.

Bench was ok. i dropped back 2.5kg for today. I missed the last rep of third work set - i had no spotter so i didn't event try for it. I will go for the same weight again next time, and am confident i will manage it then. i'm sure with a healthier weekend behind me (and a less messy squat) i wouldn't have missed.

Deadlift was hard - i dropped back by 5kg for this, but my legs felt fairly heavy by that stage, and the drive off the ground was tough. still got through the full set though, which i was happy with.

Dips were ok. I felt good through the first set, and thought i could manage more than 6 on the second, but kind lost interest/motivation a bit so only got 6 out in the end. Was a bit pissed at the squats and feeling fairly tired.

The hypers were tough as well - i really focused on the lower back and tried not to swing my body up too much to really isolate the back. judging by the squats, i'll have to work on the lower back a good bit.

Overall, not too happy with the day,but i think in all the circumstances i'll take it. it was good to just get back into it, and i can push on hard over next few weeks to make up for lost time.

floggg

Squats
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
1 x 2 @ 50kg
3 x 5 @ 60kg

Press
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 25kg
1 x 3 @ 30kg
3 x 5 @ 35kg

Power Clean
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 35 kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
5 x 3 @ 42.5kg

Chins
1 x 4
1 x 2

Weighted Hyper Extension
2 x 10 @ 10kg

Weighted Decline Sit-ups
2 x 10 @ 10kg

Today was better than monday, but still tough. I didn't think the two weeks off would make much difference at all, but am finding it all hard going at lower weights, particularly the squats, albeit with vastly better and stricter form.

I did the squats at 60kg again today, and was much better. A lot more stable i think than on Monday, although was still a bit of a wobble raising up out of the squat at times, although no massive pitches foward. My legs were still fairly sore after monday still, which probably didn't help.I think i needed to give the lower back a chance to catch up after not engaging it right for so long. Will give it another shot at 60kg on Friday just to nail the form down a bit better and then start ramping up the weight.

Press was ok. I dropped it back by 2.5kg just to get back into the groove. Completed the full set no problem, although did find the last set tough. Will add back on the weight next time do and onwards and upwards from here.

The power clean was tough as always. Felt a bit light headed after the set at 25kg, but got over it. i dropped 5kg off this time, as found the warm up sets a bit tough (legs felt like lead at this stage) and wanted to work on the form. am still working through the power clean chapter of SS book. i'm finding it hard to keep the bar following a straight path on the way up still touching my tighs! it just seems to me that once it clears my knees, it must go in a bit to keep contact. the deviation in the path isn't too pronounced on the way up, but on the way back down, it tends to move inwards a lot if it has to touch the tighs. i will keep working on it, but i know it is still a bit off.

Chins were hard. I went for absolute full range of motion this time - i normally cheated, stopping just before my arms straightened fully on the way down - hence they were fairly down on previous reps, but after seeing how bad my squats was, i reckon i should stop compromising on form for some ego stroking with extra reps.

Hypers and sit-ups were hard, again really concentration on isolating the core, and not swinging up with my body at all.

cardio,shoot me

good to see u getting back in the game

floggg

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

good to see u getting back in the game

Thanks. Feel i went a bit backward though event though is only off for two weeks!

I'd say i have major work to do on the form front, although am gonna work on that one lift at a time.

cardio,shoot me

thats they way i originally started, at the moment its deadlift work :P

floggg

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

thats they way i originally started, at the moment its deadlift work :P

I was told my deadlift is ok a while back, so i'll plough on with it! its me only respectable lift at the mo so i ain't rowing back on that for dear life!

cardio,shoot me

haha, i always feel the same about bench. Ive had a few days where i contemplated coming up during the weekend just to get my old bench record :P

floggg

Squat
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
1 x 2 @ 50kg
3 x 5 @ 62.5kg

Bench
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
1 x 2 @ 50kg
3 x 5 @ 55kg

Deadlift
1 x 5 @ 40kg
1 x 5 @ 50kg
1 x 3 @ 60kg
1 x 2 @ 70kg
1 x 5 @ 85kg

Dips
1 x 8
1 x 9

Hypers
2 x 10 @ 10kg

Decline Sit ups
2 x 10 @ 10kg

Today was better again. Felt good on the squats up untilt the work sets. I'm going around to Kevpants et al's view on head position when squatting - head up all the way. i think its when i try and do the head down squats that i struggle with keeping the chest up, and so the bar pitches foward as a result. On my last set in partiuclar, i forgot to look down and managed to keep reasonable form, but then as soon as i remembered to look down, i startedd to lose it a bit. I videoed my first and last set and might post for critique.

Bench went well. Felt good under the 55kg. Thought about upping it, but i said i'd pace myself, seeing as i missed the last rep on monday. had no spotterr either and didn;t want to make a tit of myself stuck under a bar!

Deadlift was good. Matched my old PB, although i found it tough work. hope to make the 90kg and a new PB next wed. videoed it as well, but camera position is terrible, so you can't see much.

Was a little bit disappointed to not get one or more two dips out, thought i had them in me. will work up to try and get 2 x 10 in next few weeks and then look at maybe adding weight.

floggg

Here's the vids from my squats yesterday. Any feedback would be welcome. What do you reckon on a scale of 1 - 10?

I know they are not there yet, but are getting better i think. I think i'm def gonna move to a head up stance as well - i might be somewhere in the middle of the two here.

Set One.

Set Two

For what its worth, here's the vid of the deads. Camera position is pants though, so you can only see my legs. Still, if you spot anything wrong with them, let me know.

cardio,shoot me

Squats are too complex of a lift for me to have any pointers on . From what i can see on deadlifts, you control the weight very well on the way down, and u keep a very good arch

floggg

Squats
1 x 5 @ 20kg
2 x 5 @ 30kg
3 x 5 @ 40kg

Press
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 25kg
1 x 3 @ 30kg
1 x 2 @ 35kg
3 x 5 @ 37.5kg

Power Clean
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 35kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
5 x 3 @ 45kg

Chin Ups
1 x 3
1 x 2

Following some very constructive criticism on my squat, i dropped down further to try and get it right. I think Hanley and Transform hit the nail on the head with thte flexibility issues. I still had the same problem (rocking foward on the way in and out of the hole) at 30kg and 40kg, so its not a weight issue, its flexibility. i followed Hanley's tips, and it certainly helped, but not there yet. Will work heavily on the following stretches over the next few day/weeks to get it right.

Hanley wrote: »

Next time you're squatting, try this (lighten the weight a bit to get a feel for it);
-widen your stance out a bit (start at shoulder width, go a tad wider if needs be)
-sit "back" like you would onto a chair ie instead of the first movement being at your knees, break at your hips.
-"open" your knees on the way down
-try to squat between your legs

Prolly the best drill to learn this is (with no weight) stand facing a wall with your toes 3-4 inches away from it. From there try to squat down into a full squat. You'll probably fall backwards doing it, so only go as far as you can.

Try it normally first, then with the tips I've said above. When you can get into a full squat with your toes 2-3 inches away from the wall (well the skirting board!) flexibility shouldn't be a problem. You'll probably feel a really big stretch in your groin the first few times you try it too.

Transform wrote: »

If you can't do this stretch then you really need to work on it and loosing out the glutes

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/315009314_07946a7075_o.jpg

Her front foot should be further forwards and back foot should touch the butt.

Transform wrote: »

Hip flexor work - http://www.verticaljumping.com/images/static_hip_flexor_stretch.jpg though his front foot should be further forwards and if you can you reach back and bring back foot to bum using your hand.

Glute stretch anywhere - http://www.chirohab.net/images/glute%20stretch%20front%20edit.jpg

Its annoying that i'm so far off after so long squatting.

Anyway, press was good. matched my PB from 3 weeks ago. had a lot of energy left after the light squats, but the work sets were still heavy. finished them out though. i should have a PB by friday, all things going well. hope to have one on the deads as well come wed, so should make up for the squats.

power cleans were heavy. i changed to the hook grip for these last week, and am still getting used to it. i find it can put a lot of pressure on my thumb if i hold it wrong. am still 2.5kg off the PB, but hopefully will match that on fri.

Chins were a bit weak. Again, went for absolute full range o motion on these, which was harder to grind out. want to bring this back up to respectable numbers soon though.

Didn't have time for core work.

floggg

So i have been neglecting my ankle rehab now that i can squat again, so i dragged my ass out for a run this evening. Only my second proper run in well over a month, so wasn't expecting too much.

Did ~5k in ~23mins, which i was fairly happy with. Initially, i had just wanted to do the 5k at a gentle pace, and didn't care about time. then i realised i was approx half way through at the 10 minute mark, and went feck it, i can do it in close to 20 if i keep this up, which then involved me busting a gut until the finish line. Proabably wasn't the slow gentle runs my physio envisaged, but hey, balls out is the only way that does it for me!

Have also been doing hanley and transforms stretches. Hurt like hell if i do it right, but have even noticed a tiny bit more flexibilit from yesterday. my hamstrings really felt tight on the run today, which i have never got before, so its obviously hitting parts of me that needed stretching. however, i do have a bit of slight pain in my left knee. i'm not sure if thats really meant to happen!

floggg

Squats
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 5 @ 40kg
3 x 5 @ 50kg

Decline Bench
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 5 @ 40kg
1 x 3 @ 50kg
1 x 2 @ 55kg
3 x 5 @ 57.5kg

Deadlift
1 x 5 @ 40kg
1 x 5 @ 60kg
1 x 3 @ 70kg
1 x 2 @ 80kg
1 x 5 @ 90kg PB

Dips
1 x 9
1 x 7

Squats. What to say. Still am not getting it right. Was decent today on 30 and 40kg - there was a slight wobble foward, but it was defintely better than on Monday. the stretches are starting to improve the flexibility a bit. Went up to 50kg and form slipped, the wobble foward returned, particularly on 1st and 2nd sets. Third set was better, but still not there. Couldn't bring myself to go back lower than 50kg though. its not a weight thing as such, its just flexibility and adductor (i think) strength which i need to work.

bench was ok. there was a couple of posers occupying the bench for the day, so i switched to decline rather than wait. i didn't fancy going for a heavy bench after deadlifting. matched my PB from a few weeks ago, although i think the decline bench takes away from that feat somewhat. now i have a PB in my sights for next week!

Happy with the deads. PB! Form was sloppy as hell on the last set, and there was some serious rounding of the back, but i was just happy to get the full set. First few warm up sets were tough. Lifted my toes to try and keep weight on heels, might have had something to do with it. actually felt light headed after the very first rep at 40kg. They actually got easier when i upped it past 70kg though for some reason.

Dips were poor. i left one in the tank on the first set, hoping to at least match or better on the second, but lost steam. i think it might be in my head a bit with dips and chins - i'm losing interest by that stage almost.

No time for core work.

floggg

Squats
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 4 @ 40kg
4 x 5 @ 50kg

Press
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 25kg
1 x 3 @ 30kg
1 x 2 @ 35kg
1 x 5, 1 x 4 , 1 x 3 @ 40kg PB

Power Clean
1 x 5 @ 20kg
1 x 5 @ 30kg
1 x 3 @ 35kg
1 x 3 @ 40kg
1 x 3 @ 45kg
5 x 3 @ 47.5kg

Today was a mixed bag.

Squats started out not great - still wasn't getting it, still dipping foward on the way back up. I recorded them on the phone, and noticed i seemed to be bending my back as i lifted, which dipped me foward, so for the last seti tried to focus on driving up with my arse, keeping back rigied and it seemed to do the trick.Did an extra set just to nail down the form.

Here's a vid of the last two sets for your appreciation and critique.

Set 3

Set 4

The press was aiight. it was a PB, in that i never even tried to press 40kgs before, so that was good, but didn't get the full 3 x 5. It felt heavy at 35kg, and i think i had it in my head i couldn't get it. will go at it with a venegenace next week and knock that bitch out the park!

Power clean was aiight too. i got the full sets completed, which matched m PB from a few weeks ago, but form was poor for three fo those sets i'd say. the bar didn't always touch the tight before jumping, and the rack wass messy. also, by last set, i was fairly tired and it was more of a two part movement than a smooth explosive single movement.

Transform

Few things - your not standing upright at the top so its causing you to drop chest into lap on every rep.

Your focusing on sticking your ass out so much that you have got to keep your chest out of your lap. stay more upright and stretch hip flexors more.

I would recommend going to see a trainer in your area for a session as there is only so much online coaching can help.