Starting Strength... Let the Fun Begin

Gummy Panda · 01-11-2011 9:53am

Do you look better after doing starting strength?

marathonic · 01-11-2011 5:42pm

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Do you look better after doing starting strength?

Yeah, I do look a lot better but I didn't really follow the whole GOMAD thing and probably didn't eat as much as the program would like you to. After my holidays later this month, I'm going to get back into it properly and up the calories too.

marathonic · 01-11-2011 5:46pm

Workout A
Squat 3 * 5 @ 92.5kg
Bench 3 * 5 @ 75kg (PB)

Comments:

I didn't do a full workout today. Part of the way through the squats, I'd a sore head coming on. I remember having something similar about 4-5 months back and it took a few weeks to go away - I blame working out when I still have the tail-end of a hangover. The last time, I believe it was a trapped nerve.

Anyway, I finished up the Bench Press, which was a PB, and decided to give the Deadlift and accessory work a miss for today. I'll have another workout on Thursday and Saturday this week and can hit the deadlifts on Saturday.

Gummy Panda · 01-11-2011 7:46pm

I'm thinking of doing starting strength myself. Its similar to the program I'm already doing except the squat 3 times a week (I'll have to be early to get the squat rack from bicep curlers

)

My only concern was power cleans. I have no one to show me form, my gym doesn't have bumper plates and I'd be worried about return bar to starting position without a drop. How do you find the Pendlay Rows as a replacement?

marathonic · 02-11-2011 9:11am

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I'm thinking of doing starting strength myself. Its similar to the program I'm already doing except the squat 3 times a week (I'll have to be early to get the squat rack from bicep curlers )

My only concern was power cleans. I have no one to show me form, my gym doesn't have bumper plates and I'd be worried about return bar to starting position without a drop. How do you find the Pendlay Rows as a replacement?

Yeah, my old gym only had smith machines for squats and I never used them – I done dumbbell squats instead. I cancelled that membership and had considered joining a different gym. However, I always feel awkward when people are waiting for me to finish using a piece of equipment – and hate waiting on others myself. Some people get disgusted when you have a 2 minute rest between sets if their program incorporates 30 second rests, etc. With this in mind, I bought a Power Cage, 235kg Olympic Weightset and Bench and put it in the garage.

The Pendlay Rows are fine but I’d much prefer to do the Power Cleans. The Power Cleans are supposed to be a lot better and this results in me thinking, perhaps wrongly, that I’m not getting the full benefits of the program. I’m going to get someone to coach me on all the lifts in the New Year – as I’m not 100% sure that my form is totally correct on the other lifts either and would like someone to confirm it.

marathonic · 03-11-2011 7:22pm

I still felt the headache from Tuesday a little today but decided to try my workout anyway. I started with the Squats (as usual) and done a set of 5 at 95. The headache got a lot worse in the later reps so I dropped it to 80kg and done another set of 5.

After that, I decided to give it up. Most people suggest taking a week or two off after getting exertional headaches so I'm going to leave it until at least next Thursday and am going to start back at lighter weights then. This is assumming I feel no slight hint of a headache next Tuesday/Wednesday like I did at points today. :mad:

marathonic · 10-11-2011 8:44pm

Workout B

Squat 3 * 5 @ 85kg
Press 4 * 50kg and 2 * 5 @ 45kg
Pendlay Row 60kg
Chinups 2 * 8 (BW) and 1 * 4 (BW +5kg)

Comments

First training sessions back after the exertional headaches and am glad to report that they didn't reoccur. I did take it pretty easy though.

Everything was fine - although nowhere near PB's. I'll have 3 sessions left before I go on holidays so I may get to build back up to some PB's before that - we'll see.

marathonic · 12-11-2011 8:02pm

Workout A
Squat 3 * 5 @ 90kg
Bench 4 @ 77.5kg and 5/4 @ 75kg
Deadlift 1 * 5 @ 140kg
Dips 12 * 2 (BW) and 1 * 8 (BW + 5kg) (PB)

Comments:

No PB's today either but I'm reasonably happy with the session. I'll hopefully have another PB before I go on holidays next week.

marathonic · 14-11-2011 10:07pm

Workout B

Squat 3 * 5 * 92.5kg
Press 5/4 @ 50kg and 4 @ 47.5kg
Pendlay Row 60kg
Chinups 2 * 8 (BW) and 1 * 7 (BW +5kg) (PB)

Comments

The chinups were a PB so I'm very happy with that.

I'll be shooting for another PB in the squats on Wednesday (my last training session before holidays).

I managed an extra rep at the 50kg on the Press but don't really count it as a PB until I complete the three sets. Ah well, at least I can go on holidays knowing that I'm still improving.

The Pendlay Row, I just stuck to 60kg and I didn't bother the crunches or oblique twists.

marathonic · 16-11-2011 9:49pm

Workout A
Squat 3 * 5 @ 95kg (PB)
Bench 3 @ 77.5kg and 2 * 5 @ 72.5kg
Deadlift 1 * 5 @ 145kg (PB)
Dips 12 * 2 (BW) and 1 * 9 (BW + 5kg) (PB)

Comments:

This was my last workout before my holidays. I got two PB's - one on the squats and one on the deadlift.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get my PB on the Bench or the Dips but I suppose you can't expect PB's on everything - you have to expect a bad day on one or two of the lifts.

Overall, I'm very happy with the session.

Pace2008 · 29-11-2011 2:40am

How's your form on the overhead press, man? If you're benching 75kg for reps I'd have though a 50kg press wouldn't be much of a problem. A crooked bar path will really screw you over on this lift.

marathonic · 20-12-2011 4:01pm

Pace2008 wrote: »

How's your form on the overhead press, man? If you're benching 75kg for reps I'd have though a 50kg press wouldn't be much of a problem. A crooked bar path will really screw you over on this lift.

That's a good question - I think my form's right but, then again, so does everyone. For that reason, I'll be checking it out early next year - either via videos posted online or some Personal Training sessions.

marathonic · 20-12-2011 4:12pm

Just a quick update - I arrived back from my 3 week holiday 2 weeks ago. Despite my intention to do a little excercise over there to keep fit, I ended up only doing one 3-mile jog :mad:

On returning, I had put on 7lbs but, over the past fortnight, have lost 4lbs of that. This was done via diet/cycling/jogging.

I sprained my wrist whilst away and have been avoiding the weights. I do notice the range of motion before any pain becoming better over the past few days. However, as I expect I'll be doing very little over the Xmas period, I'm considering just avoiding weights completely until the New Year.

For now, I'll focus on building my jogging up to 5 miles (I'm new to jogging and am currently at 4 miles) and "trying" to keep the diet in check. This should allow me to be at a low bodyfat level in January and I can focus on a bulk.

This is my plan for the New Year (if the weather is good, I'll be cycling to/from work and removing the Monday run):

Monday: 5 mile run
Tuesday: Weight training
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Weight training
Friday: Off
Saturday: AM: Weight training / PM: 5 mile Run
Sunday: Interval or Hill Session (running)