Starting Strenght progression log

lastlaugh

I've been looking over my progress for the first 10 sessions with Starting Strenght and here's how it looks this.



I've used the Chart from here, http://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html
given myself a weight of 188lbs and then converted the lbs to kg.
If I can reach the Novice target weights before or in January I'll be happy.
I'd like to start with chins/pull ups at some stage but for the moment I'll just try and get my working sets on all my current lifts up to Novice weights.

mrpink6789

I really wish I didnt look at that chart you linked to, makes me realise my bench and press are useless! :P

lastlaugh

Don't worry, that chart is based on tests taken on the planet Krypton. :pac:

lastlaugh

Squats
30k X 5
40k X 3
50k X 2
60k X 1
75k X 5 X 3 (set: went well, squatting below parallel, feels better if it's one fluid motion. Was stalling at the bottom too much earlier I think.)

OH Press
20k X 5 X 1
25k X 3 X 1
32.5k X 5 X 2 (FAIL. Had to drop back to 30k for last set)
30k X 5 X 1

Deadlift
40k X 5 X 1
60k X 3 X 1
85k X 5 X 1 (set: Felt heavy but liftable)

lastlaugh

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
50k X 2
70k X 1
77.5k X 5 X 3 (set: Hmmm, OK I suppose, went right down on the last one and it looked like my face was gonna explode pushing back up)

Bench Press
20k X 5
40k X 3
45k X 2
50k X 1
52.5k X 5 X 1 (Difficult, not a chance of 3 sets)
50k X 5 X 2
Alternating these with the OH Press will slow down my progress. Even adding 2.5k eack session is difficult for me for both the bench & OH Press. I'll still try and keep doing both, it will effectively halve my progress though.

Power Cleans
30k X 5
40k X 5
45k X 3 X 5 (set: Meh)

lastlaugh

Did a half assed .5km run on the treadmill waiting for the Squat rack to free up.

Bodyweight 86k.

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
70k X 1
80k X 5 X 3 (set: felt strong with these tonight, thought it was going to be much harder before I went)

OH Press
20k X 5 X 1
25k X 3 X 1
32.5k X 5 X 3 (set. last rep was very wobbly going up, these things make me feel like a weakling)

Deadlift
40k X 5 X 1
80k X 3 X 1
90k X 5 X 1 (set: >BW. Felt grand, last rep tough, getting hard to keep my grip on the bar though)

My appetite has really increased since I started last month and I'm eating a lot more. I'm trying to keep my diet clean but it's hard. I feel stronger and more solid but need to really watch my diet (and buy more protein)...

Feels like alternating the OH press & bench is reducing gains by too much, seriously considering just sticking with the Bench until I get it up to 77k.

lastlaugh

Cycled to work, 35km round trip, do this everyday, getting colder & darker out...

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
70k X 1
82.5k X 5 X 3 (set: just about squeezed these out, last rep a real struggle, I'm already afraid of 85k)

Bench Press
20k X 5
30k X 3
40k X 2
50k X 1
52.5k X 5 X 1
52.5k X 2 FAIL
50k X 5 X 1
50k feels so much lighter than 52.5k for some reason. If I can't lift 52.5k on Friday I'll be well annoyed.

Power Cleans
30k X 5
40k X 5
45.7k X 3 X 5 (set: Form a lot better than before on these.)

mrpink6789

You must be creeping up on BW now for the squats?

lastlaugh

mrpink6789 wrote: »

You must be creeping up on BW now for the squats?

Very close to BW now thanks. I was 86k last time I checked & I'm due for 85k Squat tomorrow.
82.5 was tough though, felt I was using my chest to heave up the bar on one or two.
Glad I'm using the log to see my progress since the beginning, great incentive to keep going. Reading back a bit I thought some tendons were going to pop and I wouldn't get past 65k!

lastlaugh

35k return cycle to and from work. Got home around 7, got to the Gym about 9.
Need to get some more protein, might try that Sci MX Whey from Tesco. I'll be damned before I fork out 56 quid for 1kg of Maximuscle. I'm sure I'm not getting enough protein in my diet, will start putting up my diet next week for advice/assessment

Bodyweight 85.8k.

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
85k X 5 X 3 (set: not going as far down as I'd like (right down) but I feel I'm doing well enough for now)

OH Press
20k X 5
25k X 3
30k X 3
35k X 5 X 2 (Fail: knew I couldn't sqeeze out another set so went back to 30k, I'll try 35k again next Monday)
30k X 4 (totally drained, couldn't even get last rep, sheeee-it)

Deadlift
40k X 5
80k X 3
90k X 1
95k X 5 X 1 (set: Had to swap to a mixed grip after two reps and it felt a lot better, looking forward to 100k next Monday)

I'd really like to see more gains on my upper body lifts. I'd also like to shed the layer of blub I have around my lower mid section. Ah well, good things come to those who lift. Oh, and eat properly I guess.

lastlaugh

16th Workout 20th Nov

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
87.5k X 2 (Not a chance)
85k X 5 X 3 (set: had a brainwave to do 'ass to grass' on my warm ups, felt OK getting up from 60k, 70k was tough. When I tried a slightly below parallel on 87.5k I realized I was in trouble. Need to be careful with my form at these now, don't want to do my back in!)

Bench Press
20k X 5
30k X 3
40k X 2
50k X 1
52.5k X 5 X 1 (set: thank God I got these out, definitely getting stronger albeit annoyingly slowly)

Power Cleans
30k X 5
40k X 5
50k X 3 X 5 (set: I feel my form is getting better on these the heavier it gets. It's getting that heavy that it's like i have to jump a bit to get the bar to my chest. Gets the heart going which feels good)

lastlaugh

Usual 35k cycle to and from work, nice hailstones on way home.

Bodyweight 86.6k.

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
87.5k X 5 X 3 (set: >BW, whoop whoop! Felt good. Went up to the bar all aggro, bounced it up and down a bit on my shoulders, strangely, I think this helped.)

OH Press
20k X 5
25k X 3
30k X 3
35k X 5 X 3 (Yeeehaaaa: Oh wait, it's only 35k)

Deadlift
40k X 5
80k X 3
90k X 1
100k X 5 X 1 (set: Jaysus, alright I suppose. Tough on my girly hands )

lastlaugh

18th Workout 24th Nov (last weeks should have read 17th)

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
90k X 2 (set: OK, might be radical and try 95k Friday)

Bench Press
20k X 5
30k X 3
40k X 2
50k X 1
55k X 5 X 1 (NOOooo)
52.5k X 5 X 1 (can't...dooo...it)
50k X 5 X 1 (for feck sake)
(I did 52.5kX5X3 not 5X1 on last bench, not too difficult either)

Power Cleans
30k X 5
40k X 5
55k X 3 X 5 (set: added 5k instead of 2.5k, felt heavy but 0K)

Felt weak on the Bench tonight. My diet has been a bit sh!t this last week, so I'm blaming that.
Ordered Protein & Creatine tonight from discountsuppliments.co.uk.
Upper body progress a bit embarressing tbh :mad:
Must try harder to keep my diet better dag nabbit.

On a different note, looking at that budget I don't think I will be able to afford gym membership for the next 4 yrs

lastlaugh

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
92.5k X 5 X 3 (set: stuck with 2.5k increase on last week)

OH Press
20k X 5
25k X 3
30k X 3
37.5k X 4 (Felt very heavy)
30k X 5 X 2 (just for the sake of completing the 3 sets)

Deadlift
60k X 5
80k X 3
90k X 1
Have a bit of a pain in my lower back so I just left these as they were quite sore.

Felt like a bit of a disaster this morning. I had a hangover and it just felt wrong from the start. Those OH Press things are the bane of my life, well, my time in the gym anyway.
Hopefully a bit of a rest will sort my back out before the next deadlifts
Need to get to my target weights for all lifts and then start doing other lifts or isolation work, something else. It's getting a bit like I'm just going through the motions now, although I am still hungover.

mrpink6789

Yeah defo don't be doing lifts hungover, I realised Heineken isn't good fuel for Stronglifts!

lastlaugh

Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
80k X 1
95k X 5 X 3 (set: OK)
I'm doing full deep squats in my warm ups fo 20, 40 & 60K, cant get back up heavier than 60 though. It would be cool if I could get right down (more importantly, back up) for my work sets.
Think I'll work on the weight I can full squat as well as adding to my parallel work set.

Bench Press
20k X 5
30k X 3
40k X 2
50k X 1
55k X 5 X 2 (Better than last Wednesdays effort)
52.5k X 5 X 1
Getting stronger on these, slowly. I think 2.5k increments might be too much to add for me on the bench and OH Press. Might just add 1.25 to the bar after I get 55kx5x3

Power Cleans
30k X 5
40k X 5
57.5k X 3 X 1 (set: Ugh)
55k X 3 X 1 (sudden rush of blood to the head)
50K X 3 X 1 (Sheeee-it)

lastlaugh

Didn't make it down to the Gym last night due to the snow. I think they were closed anyway, they weren't answering the phone.
I'm meant to be going away for the weekend so if the flights aren't cancelled I'll miss tomorrows session too.

Exercise wise I built a snowman and shovelled a load of ice & snow from the driveway, the aul shovellin is tough work!

Bit of pointless entry I know but need to keep some kind of consistency.

lastlaugh

Day 21, 6th Dec

First time back since last Monday.

Parallel Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 2
90k X 1
97.5k X 5

Full Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 5 X 3 (set: I'm just going to do full squats from now on, with a low bar postion like the first image in fig. 2 in this pdf. Full squats are the way forward, my hamstrings are sore for a change. Hopefully I can get to 100k full squats in Jan. Will try adding 5k Wed.


OH Press
20k X 5
25k X 3
30k X 3
37.5k X 5 Maybe Friday I'll get the 3 sets.
35k X 5
30k X 5


Deadlift
60k X 5
80k X 3
90k X 1
100k No way!
90k x 5 Lost a bit of strenght on these, I'm still a bit apprehensive about my back tbh.

d'Oracle

lastlaugh wrote: »

Full Squats
20k X 5
40k X 3
60k X 5 X 3 (set: I'm just going to do full squats from now on, with a low bar postion like the first image in fig. 2 in this pdf.

I'm not sure that is a good idea.
There is a reason that Olympic weightlifters use the highbar position for the back squat.
If you look at that fig 2, the lifter doing the Olympic squat is clearly carrying the bar in the High Bar position and this holds the bar in line with the middle of the foot (i.e. in balance)

If you compare that to the picture of the guy doing the Low Bar squat (to just below parallel) He is clearly in the low bar position.

Compare the two. You want to imagine the bar position of the first guy on the second guy. The bar will be behind the line traced vertical from the middle of the foot. Ergo inherently out of balance.

I would Imagine:
You will fall backwards if you keep the low bar in a full squat position.

Or really mess up your arms because they will be supporting the bar rather than your back supporting it. And still loose it cos your arms/shoulders can't support the load in that position.

Or you will need to flex (bend) your back to maintain balance.
Which will mess up your back.

I'm not saying don't do Full Squats mind.
You should probably get Starting Strength too as this is more or less explained.

lastlaugh

d'Oracle wrote: »

I'm not sure that is a good idea.
There is a reason that Olympic weightlifters use the highbar position for the back squat.
If you look at that fig 2, the lifter doing the Olympic squat is clearly carrying the bar in the High Bar position and this holds the bar in line with the middle of the foot (i.e. in balance)

If you compare that to the picture of the guy doing the Low Bar squat (to just below parallel) He is clearly in the low bar position.

Yeah, I see what you mean. Looking at it again, I'll be assuming the second position, high bar and right down. Thanks for pointing that out.
I was doing those last night and my legs are sore, especially my hams. I'm not complaining though.

d'Oracle wrote: »

I'm not saying don't do Full Squats mind.
You should probably get Starting Strength too as this is more or less explained.

I'm a bit of a cheap skate these days so I don't think I'll get the book! Once I hit some of my goals I'll start trying some isolation work in the new year, I'll keep with the squats, deads, bench & OH press though.
Some good stuff in that 'perfect programme' thread that I might use.
A bastardised Starting Strenght with bells on.

Cheers for the advice.

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

I'm not sure that is a good idea.
There is a reason that Olympic weightlifters use the highbar position for the back squat.
If you look at that fig 2, the lifter doing the Olympic squat is clearly carrying the bar in the High Bar position and this holds the bar in line with the middle of the foot (i.e. in balance)

If you compare that to the picture of the guy doing the Low Bar squat (to just below parallel) He is clearly in the low bar position.

Compare the two. You want to imagine the bar position of the first guy on the second guy. The bar will be behind the line traced vertical from the middle of the foot. Ergo inherently out of balance.

I would Imagine:
You will fall backwards if you keep the low bar in a full squat position.

Or really mess up your arms because they will be supporting the bar rather than your back supporting it. And still loose it cos your arms/shoulders can't support the load in that position.

Or you will need to flex (bend) your back to maintain balance.
Which will mess up your back.

I'm not saying don't do Full Squats mind.
You should probably get Starting Strength too as this is more or less explained.

I'm confused, are you saying not to low bar for full depth? I've been low bar-ing for the past 6months and it's made a massive improvement to my squat. It positions the weight over my torso and stops me leaning forward as much. I've also found that if you position it correctly then the weight on your arms is minimal.

lastlaugh

G86 wrote: »

I'm confused, are you saying not to low bar for full depth? I've been low bar-ing for the past 6months and it's made a massive improvement to my squat. It positions the weight over my torso and stops me leaning forward as much. I've also found that if you position it correctly then the weight on your arms is minimal.

Hey G86,

What position are you in when you are squatting do you reckon, the first one or the second?

My Hams are pretty much resting on my calfs when I drop, like the second picture, but I do not think this would be possible if the bar was lower on my back like the first picture, considering my back is staying pretty upright.



Are you skwating like a girl? If so, fair play

lastlaugh

Although she does look to be getting right down AND have a low bar AND leaning forward! Shee-it, now I'm confused (and my legs hurt).

d'Oracle

She looks to be doing the Low Bar Squat to full depth to me.

This is Mendes doing full depth high bar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK7m6I5m6gY

G86.
I'm saying full depth is different between Low Bar and High Bar.
But there are so many goddamn terms that its impossible to explain anything.

Best bet is to ask your coach.
He will probably tell you not to listen to idiots on the internet.
Then probably explain the difference between an Olympic Squat and a Low Bar Squat better than I would ever be able to do.

G86

The depth in the second picture I think, but leaning a bit more forward like in the first picture. I've long levers and I naturally lean forward which is why I use a wider stance and low-bar. I'd be leaning alot more forward if I didn't.

d'Oracle

G86 wrote: »

The depth in the second picture I think, but leaning a bit more forward like in the first picture. I've long levers and I naturally lean forward which is why I use a wider stance and low-bar. I'd be leaning alot more forward if I didn't.

That's probably more significant.
I'm out of my depth here.
Could it be your low bar depth looks deeper cos of your levers?
I'm not sure I have levers.
But again, you have a coach, you should be ignoring this.:)

G86

d'Oracle wrote: »

That's probably more significant.
I'm out of my depth here.
Could it be your low bar depth looks deeper cos of your levers?

Perhaps, I don't know to be honest. I just do what I'm told, and when it works I tell other people.:p

Hanley

d'Oracle wrote: »

That's probably more significant.
I'm out of my depth here.
Could it be your low bar depth looks deeper cos of your levers?
I'm not sure I have levers.
But again, you have a coach, you should be ignoring this.:)

If it's lever dependednt, then how can you advice the OP without knowing what their leverages are like?

Surely it's irresponsible to be trying to make someone who may be like G with long legs squat in a similar fashion to me (short legs). They're never going to look the same like...

d'Oracle

Hanley wrote: »

If it's lever dependednt, then how can you advice the OP without knowing what their leverages are like?

Thats a good point.
I'm not sure anybody is trying to make anybody squat any particular way?
You think I was wrong to bring OP's attention to the issue?

Edit: Im pretty sure the only advice I gave was get the book.....

lastlaugh

Came down with a dose of something today so I'm wussing out of tonights session, I'll go tomorrow I think.

My glutes, quads and hamstrings are in absolute bits after Mondays full squats. I haven't been in so much pain in a long time.
I felt grand on Mon after the gym, a bit sore Tues morning, sorer in the afternoon, in pain last night and in ribbons today.

I'm sure after a few sessions I'll get more used to them but Jaysus it hurts! :pac: