Workout Question For 34 Year Old Novice

[atxbadboy]

Just to let folks online know where I am at. I have been on the starting strenght program for about 2 1/2 months but have encountered recovery issues. I have questions and need help from theother lifters with so here it goes.

I am 34 years old and have been lifting from the looks of my logs at about a 2 workouts a week pace rather then the three workouts per week on the SS novice program. I weigh 213lbs and so far in the lifts I am at:

Squat: 235lbs 3x5( I backed off 2 reps when I felt weakness in my first set however I feel stronger in my last set or 2 like I could do more but I don't push it) Also my knee buckled on my second set.

Press: 126lbs 3x5( I had to do a reset a couple of weeks ago due to jumping up in weight to fast and have been micro loading now up to were I am at and this seems to be the toughest lift for me to improve period.)

Bench Press:195lbs 3x5 I have had steady progress on this lift but now I am into micro loading for safety(no spotter often) and regular progress now.I also had to go to 5x3 for a fear thing or then the other two reps but this lift like the squat the other day, I felt stronger like I could of hit 6 reps on my last lift. Does anyone knoe the reasons for this on the squat and bench other then I might need to add extra warm up sets? I already perform warm ups as stated in SS the book.

Deadlift: I am up to 275lbs 1x5 now, but after mild injury the last time out I have switched to the rotation of back extensions / pull ups to proceed with and rest up a bit.

I do not perform power cleans at this time but perform pendlay rows with 162 lbs 3x5 due to no coach or bumper plates at the current time.


It looks as if I usually take an extra day of recovery since work, sleep, pain + aches put a hault to three a week schedule.

I also like to train Judo but haven't since I have been on the program due to lack of want due to the effort it would require to perform in the sport combined with te soreness I feel from the SS program even on every other week being a 2 workouts only per week.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that deadlifts on the regular were way intense and I could not perform on schedule with a days rest after my last session of deadlifts that were only at 275lbs for 5 reps.

My legs and lower back were so sore that I had trouble sitting, and walking up the stairs at work and at home and even to my car.

I switched to the PP advanced novice program and have only performed a light squat day for a week now and it seems like it really helped some.However, It still looks daunting to get that third workout in as we speek ,since I am already behind this week again.Knee gave in a little on the sqaut yesterday ,but I was not injured just scary.
The heavier the weights get, I just don't see myself making the program ( I really haven't up to this point) I've been on a 2 a week version of SS it seems so far.

So now that I want back in Judo twice a week or three times, I see no way of doing the program. I have made good progress for now it seems on the 2 a week?
My questions would be is there a better program to switch over to now or any other options others here might know that could switch up and I can continue with gains, but workout in Judo for several times a week as well?

[zepled37]

What is your height? How much do you weigh and how much weight have you gained on SS?

Seems like the squat and deadlift especially should be able to progress more yet. Are you getting enough sleep? Other than eating enough and getting enough sleep, maybe a form issue on the squat or you just need to reset again?

[zepled37]

Sorry, I see you say you weigh 213.

[brobinson]

Exactly how much are you eating? It's mentioned time and time again, but it's the most logical place to look first when recovery's a problem.

I'm a fat guy and try not to go overboard on the eating, but as soon as I cut back a little too much both strength and form deteriorate fast.

[BCS]

If you want to train judo and work on your core lifts, check out Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. You won't be giving yourself the same full body beating 2-3 days a week so you should have more energy to devote to your judo which I assume is what you wanted to get stronger for in the first place.

[Scrofula]

So now that I want back in Judo twice a week or three times, I see no way of doing the program. I have made good progress for now it seems on the 2 a week?
My questions would be is there a better program to switch over to now or any other options others here might know that could switch up and I can continue with gains, but workout in Judo for several times a week as well?
I'm combining judo with SS-style workouts, each twice a week. I'm making progress, but I have to make an effort to get enough food and sleep. It really doesn't take much to start seeing drops in strength if I get lazy about these things. I'm not looking to gain a lot of weight, but I think I'd need vast amounts of food if I wanted to do that.

[atxbadboy]

Man trust me, I like to eat, and I often eat until I a mstuffed or a little sick at times.

I am already overweight some which is why I started working out to get strong for sure, but drop a few pounds of fat to be a little faster in training.

My height is 5'10" My bodyweight seems to be going from 213 to 218 back and forth depending on clothing, food in my gut, but I hover around there right now.

I started at 235 pounds a few months back so it is an improvment for sure.I do have a nice big jelly roll gut so it is not that I do not eat enough for sure I would think.

Yeah it seems like the 2 a week is were it is at since my body is telling me 3 a week is rough let alone doing anything else.

Sleep was a problem, but now I have been getting 8 plus hours so that should be good too.

Just weird that my first set or two seems weak, but the last set feels like I could crank out an extra rep or two sometimes? I wonder if I need to warm up even more?

Last time I did deadlift I sat down on the floor, and chilled for like 3-4 minutes, I was toast.
What do you think about rest between sets with the weight I am lifting?
Normally I try to rest 2-3 minutes, but lately I have been sure to give me atleast 2 1/2, 3 or 3 1/2 minutes as it helps more now. Should I be taking in more rest or this would be too much and make me go cold between sets?

[stronger]

btw, bumper plates aren't necessary to do powercleans. Just catch the weight on the way down with your thighs. You're missing out on some fun

[banthafodder]

Last time I did deadlift I sat down on the floor, and chilled for like 3-4 minutes, I was toast.
What do you think about rest between sets with the weight I am lifting?
Normally I try to rest 2-3 minutes, but lately I have been sure to give me atleast 2 1/2, 3 or 3 1/2 minutes as it helps more now. Should I be taking in more rest or this would be too much and make me go cold between sets?

I'm still doing Starting Strength, personally, so I don't do sets across in the deadlift, but in general, I have to rest anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes between work sets depending on the lift and my recent eating and sleeping patterns. Rest as long as it takes to get every rep.

[atxbadboy]

That just seems to be an insane amount of rest time.However I did not know that more rest could and would be needed eventually.I might be pushing it a little faster then I should it seems.

[tescott]

+1 more food and more rest between sets. Increasing the rest between sets thing has been awesome for me of late - really increased my ability to keep progressing.

[gman]

That just seems to be an insane amount of rest time.However I did not know that more rest could and would be needed eventually.I might be pushing it a little faster then I should it seems.

I'm resting between 7-8 minutes on squats, presses and bench. Slightly less on powercleans. Increase your rest time, it will make a big difference in the last few reps of each set.

[tennisgod]

With the risk of sounding demeaning, I think your mind is playing with you.

The fact that your final set is strong, means (to me) that you are holding back on the first 2 thinking that you need to conserve your energy to make all 3 sets. After holding back on the first 2, you (or your mind) realises that you still have plenty of fuel in the tank and you have a big 3rd set.
I approach each of my 3 sets differently... 1st one I say to myself "OK, this is the first... you are fresh"... 2nd set I say "OK, I'm warmed up and not fatigued so this should be the easiest set"... 3rd set I say "OK, only 5 more".

Regarding your soreness, maybe you should lighten the weight and make sure you have correct form (your soreness may be a result of bad form), and make sure you do maximum effort for the full 3 sets. Don't worry about the actual weight because a) strength training is a marathon and you have plenty of time to add weight (I'm 50...), and b) you are already doing something 99.999% of the population are only dreaming that they would do.

[atxbadboy]

The only way I can call it is when I perform my first sets it seems as though they are really heavy and I freak out like wow, i might fail here with this huge load! and my muscles ache to lift the load.

Then I some how make it through by resting in between sets and on my last set I feel like I am finally warmed up( muscles are warm and not hurting under the load) and could go an extra few reps when I get to my last few.

I don't know what to make of it? It is really funky.

[tennisgod]

Can you explain how you warmup?

[atxbadboy]

I go intothe gym and give it 5 min. on therower or the bike. I usually split the five between the two.

I will use squats as an example.Next since I am close the the warm up progressions described in the book I usually start with the bar for 2 sets of 5reps.

Then I will tailor up with 4 reps of 95,3 reps of 135,2 reps of 185, 1 rep of 225 and then go into the the sets of 235 for 5 reps across which I made today.

I also found one of my problems today.I saw that my left knee was trying to bow in instead of out as detailed in the book so I worked on it to get through my sets.

I ran into a new problem though.I reset my press a while back and have been microloading it back up to the original point which was 130 were I reset it from.

Well I failed on my last rep on my last set of 128 today. I rested 3 1/2 minutes I think on the the set. Man it really seems strange to rest so long since it feels like something may be lost, go cold, but I can try, just hard in a commercial gym when someone might be waiting on your station you know.

[Gant Grimes]

Sorry to just get to this.

I'm a 35 year old judoka, and I have gone through linear progression. It is extremely difficult to recover from this and judo. I can't squat more than twice a week and be worth a damn. I'm down to back squatting once a week now and haven't suffered any ill effects.

Someone mentioned 531. I'll second that. I'm on my third cycle and loving it. Instead of 15 work reps per session, you might only do 2-10. That's easier for recovery. It also helps you control your weight better once you've gotten to the end of linear progression.

This is my program now.

Mon: snatch/power snatch, squat*, press*
Fri: C&J, bench*, deadlift*, chins
Other conditioning (KB, strongman) stuff throughout the week
*= 531

Do you compete?


Just to let folks online know where I am at. I have been on the starting strenght program for about 2 1/2 months but have encountered recovery issues. I have questions and need help from theother lifters with so here it goes.

I am 34 years old and have been lifting from the looks of my logs at about a 2 workouts a week pace rather then the three workouts per week on the SS novice program. I weigh 213lbs and so far in the lifts I am at:

Squat: 235lbs 3x5( I backed off 2 reps when I felt weakness in my first set however I feel stronger in my last set or 2 like I could do more but I don't push it) Also my knee buckled on my second set.

Press: 126lbs 3x5( I had to do a reset a couple of weeks ago due to jumping up in weight to fast and have been micro loading now up to were I am at and this seems to be the toughest lift for me to improve period.)

Bench Press:195lbs 3x5 I have had steady progress on this lift but now I am into micro loading for safety(no spotter often) and regular progress now.I also had to go to 5x3 for a fear thing or then the other two reps but this lift like the squat the other day, I felt stronger like I could of hit 6 reps on my last lift. Does anyone knoe the reasons for this on the squat and bench other then I might need to add extra warm up sets? I already perform warm ups as stated in SS the book.

Deadlift: I am up to 275lbs 1x5 now, but after mild injury the last time out I have switched to the rotation of back extensions / pull ups to proceed with and rest up a bit.

I do not perform power cleans at this time but perform pendlay rows with 162 lbs 3x5 due to no coach or bumper plates at the current time.


It looks as if I usually take an extra day of recovery since work, sleep, pain + aches put a hault to three a week schedule.

I also like to train Judo but haven't since I have been on the program due to lack of want due to the effort it would require to perform in the sport combined with te soreness I feel from the SS program even on every other week being a 2 workouts only per week.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that deadlifts on the regular were way intense and I could not perform on schedule with a days rest after my last session of deadlifts that were only at 275lbs for 5 reps.

My legs and lower back were so sore that I had trouble sitting, and walking up the stairs at work and at home and even to my car.

I switched to the PP advanced novice program and have only performed a light squat day for a week now and it seems like it really helped some.However, It still looks daunting to get that third workout in as we speek ,since I am already behind this week again.Knee gave in a little on the sqaut yesterday ,but I was not injured just scary.
The heavier the weights get, I just don't see myself making the program ( I really haven't up to this point) I've been on a 2 a week version of SS it seems so far.

So now that I want back in Judo twice a week or three times, I see no way of doing the program. I have made good progress for now it seems on the 2 a week?
My questions would be is there a better program to switch over to now or any other options others here might know that could switch up and I can continue with gains, but workout in Judo for several times a week as well?