Eli's SS Log

[elievan]

Hey all,
Relatively new to the community. Found this website a bit over a week ago, ordered the book, read up this weekend, and started today! Thought I'd start a thread to keep myself motivated and hopefully motivate others through my results (which I hope to be positive).

I'm 6ft, 190lbs.

I also thought I'd try something fun, going to take a picture of myself every day for the next couple months while on SS, and then put them all together into a quick gif so that i can see my progress in terms of bulk. I'll post it if it works.

Day 1:

Squat: 165lb x 5 x 3
Bench: 115lb x 5 x 3
DL: 165lb x 5 x 1

All felt reasonably good. I'm not very strong at all and I have never really squatted or deadlifted. I'm worried that I wasn't getting low enough in the squat, not because it was too heavy, I think its a flexibility issue.

I look forward to uping the weights in the next few sessions.

[elievan]

Session 2:

Squat: 175lb x 5 x 3
Press: 85lb x 5 x 3
PowerCleans: 95lb x 5 x 3

Squats actually felt tiring towards the end, and it was only my first increase. I'm sure its because I've been out of the gym and sitting at a desk for months on end. Excited to see how today goes (session 3).

If anyone has the time to comment, when people say 'my lower body develops faster than my upper body' or something to that effect, is there any truth behind that? On a genetic level or whatever? My legs are far stronger in relation to my upper body in my opinion, something I hope SS will correct.

[Paul Sousa]

Looking at your numbers i would say you are pretty proportionate strength wise (pressing v. squat/DL/PC). What I would say is your deadlift and squat numbers maye be too close (you should be able to DL more than you can squat for quite some time).

Edit - I might also suggest lowering the weight for your squat a bit more. Since you said you never squatted, were unsure of depth, and felt a struggle in your second workout, you may have started a bit too high. If you can post a video of your form it would help a ton.

[Mr.City]

The larger muscle mass involved, the faster it progresses. Squat and deadlift use a more muscles mass than the bench or press, hence the faster progression. Also, that's the reason why isolation exercises are so slow to progress.

[elievan]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Paul, I tend to agree with you that my squat and deadlift could be too close. I felt great doing the deadlifts in today's session but again struggled with the squats (I can finish the sets but I know I'm not achieving real depth - but this could be a flexibility issue?). I might take your advice and drop the weight on the squat a bit, I want to make sure I'm getting the depth I need and the correct form. Would a 10% drop suffice? Or should I take it down 20%? Or maybe just keep it at this weight for another session or two... Any advice would be appreciated. I'll try get videos up soon.

I think I have some really tight hamstrings. I can't touch my toes, and even bending over to put socks on is an issue these days. I've had a bad back for awhile now too, and a friend of mine thought they could be related. I'm going to start stretching every day for the foreseeable future to try and loosen that up.

Session 3:

Squat: 180 x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Bench: 120 x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 175 x 5 x 3 (10lb increase)

[Webbie]

I have read that a 10% reset is what is recommended usually. With that reset though you need to confirm that your form is dead solid perfect...by either video or experienced eyes. Even though I read the squat chapter five times before I did my first rep I was shocked to see how many things I was doing wrong once I saw the video. Not getting deep enough can lead to a lot of problems (read aches and pains in knees and hips) when you get further into the 200s.

Congrats on your progress. Keep it rolling!

[elievan]

So I dropped my squat weight today by about 10% in line with the advice you guys have given me about possibly starting too high and not getting low enough. After stretching several times a day for the last week I can already notice a bit of a difference in the hamstrings. My squat was much deeper today and actually felt great (despite being noticeably harder since I was getting deeper, but I expected that).

Side note: Avocados. I bought some today cause they had those massive California avocados at the supermarket (they must be almost 1lb each). In terms of eating big, aren't these almost perfect for every meal? High in calories, good fat source... Anyone else eat these like there's no tomorrow?

Session 4:

Squat: 165lb x 5 x 3 (15lb lower to correct form)
Press: 90lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 100lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)

[elievan]

Session 5:

SQ: 170lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 125lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 185 x 5 x 3 (10lb increase)

[elievan]

Session 6:

SQ: 175lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 95lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 100lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)


Press is getting tough. Might have to drop down to 2.5lb each session... but I feel I shouldn't be stalling this early on. I understand that press is the slowest to advance so I take solace in that.

[elievan]

Session 7:

SQ: 180lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 130lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 195 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Felt good.

[elievan]

Session 8:

SQ: 185lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 100lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 115lb x 5 x 3 (15lb increase)

Woops. Increase power cleans by a bit too much in a daze. Tho I must say its nicer to do them with big 35lb plates on either side. That said, I actually got through them pretty well, so will be looking to add 5lb to them next week.

[elievan]

Session 9:

SQ: 190lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 135lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 205 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Some cool moments today with 1 plate on each side for bench and breaking 200lb for deadlifts. Onwards we go.

[elievan]

Session 10:

SQ: 195lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 105lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 120lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)

[elievan]

Session 11:

SQ: 200lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 140lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 215 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Session 12:

SQ: 205lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 110lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 125lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)

Session 13:
SQ: 210lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 145lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 225 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)


And we keep on rolling. Felt really miserable at Session 12, I actually thought I might throw up doing the power cleans - I thought it might be the weights just getting heavier... But then I showed up for session 13 and flew through them like nothing. I realized it was because I had been eating a lot more the two days before the last workout, and also hadn't been boozing.

If anyone wastes their time reading my log, I was wondering if you could comment: I'm interested in starting to introduce chinups and pullups. I've been considering changing to the Practical Programming Novice Program. The problem is that I would like to continue doing Deadlifts every other workout...

Can I just add chinups/pullups (alternating) to my A day workout and continue on? It would be very similar to PPNP just with deadlifts every other workout instead of once a week.

Any wisdom would be appreciated.

Cheers

[Mr.City]

Rip lays out a routine in PP2 where you deadlift every 5th workout. You may want to try that.

[elievan]

My problemo is wanting to deadlift every other workout though (every 2nd workout).

Is workout B too intense if I were to just make it:

SQ
Press
Power Clean
Chins/Pull ups alt.

And keep A normal with SQ, BP and DL?

[elievan]

Wow. My Abs are killing me today. I assume its after Shoulder Press yesterday; the last few reps took 2-3 seconds to get up into the air and I imagine I was flexing my core like crazy.

That said, I don't think I will be able to complete next sessions set of Press if I increase 5lbs... Should I go for it anyway since I've consistently increased 5lb a session? Or should I try go up by 2.5?

Penultimately; Wow I'm bad at pullups and chinups!

Lastly... 2 plate squats! Woohoo.


Session 14:

SQ: 215lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 115lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 130lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Pull Ups: 4,3,2

Session 15:
SQ: 220lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 150lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 235 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Session 16:

SQ: 225lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 120lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Power Clean: 130lb x 5 x 3 (No Change)
Chin Ups: 6,4,3

[cervicornis]

Nice progress. I would switch to 2.5 lb. increases on the press if you feel like you're right at the limit. I just finished week 9 of SS and I switched to 2.5 lb. increases on the press at week 5. I've been able to sustain 2.5 jumps since them, but it has been very tough. My two buddies have stalled in the press, despite the fact that they switched to 2.5 lb. increases before I did.

[elievan]

Session 17:
SQ: 230lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 155lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 245 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Session 18:

SQ: 235lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 125lb x 5 x 1 (5lb increase) FAIL
Power Clean: 135lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Pull Ups: 5,4,5

NOOOOOOOO!!11!1one! Session 18 marks my first failed set since I began SS one and a half months ago.

I barely finished the first set of shoulder press (the last rep took me, no joke, 6-7seconds to get fully extended). I felt something pull in my side, kind of at the bottom of my lats but more in my ribs... maybe an intercostal muscle?. I rested and tried for a second set but couldn't even get 1 rep, not due to pain, although there was a dull ache, but just had no power at all. Its the next day and it feels just fine, so hopefully it wasn't anything serious.

I should have only gone up by 2.5lbs this week, since I wrote last time about worrying that I couldn't finish the 3 sets. I'll drop 2.5lbs to the weight I should have attempted and give it a shot next time.

My legs just keep powering on through though, they've gotten noticeably bigger.

Damn I love this program.

[elievan]

Session 19:
SQ: 240lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 160lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 255 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Session 20:

SQ: 245lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 125lb x 5 x 3 (0lb increase)
Power Clean: 140lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Chin Ups: 7,5,5

Woohoo. Finished all 3 sets of those presses which I failed last week. They were still faking tough, but got through them. I think part of the failure was very mental last week, I did that workout in a different gym and it just all felt off. I can't wait to press a plate.

Chin ups and pull ups are moving up pretty well, got an extra 4 in today compared to last time.

Also, I got on the scale today for the first time in a long time. I was frustrated when I first started this program cause I was eating a lot and not getting heavier. Today I weighed in at 204lbs! Fuck yeh! Flew past 200... I feel and look a lot stronger now. Lets keep it rolling.

Ideally I'd like to weigh 205lbs. So I'll see how my weight progresses in the next few weeks. I don't mind putting on some more weight, and then dropping the fat at the end of SS.

[strongdaniel]

Session 19:
SQ: 240lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
BP: 160lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
DL: 255 x 5 x 1 (10lb increase)

Session 20:

SQ: 245lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Press: 125lb x 5 x 3 (0lb increase)
Power Clean: 140lb x 5 x 3 (5lb increase)
Chin Ups: 7,5,5

Woohoo. Finished all 3 sets of those presses which I failed last week. They were still faking tough, but got through them. I think part of the failure was very mental last week, I did that workout in a different gym and it just all felt off. I can't wait to press a plate.

Chin ups and pull ups are moving up pretty well, got an extra 4 in today compared to last time.

Also, I got on the scale today for the first time in a long time. I was frustrated when I first started this program cause I was eating a lot and not getting heavier. Today I weighed in at 204lbs! Fuck yeh! Flew past 200... I feel and look a lot stronger now. Lets keep it rolling.

Ideally I'd like to weigh 205lbs. So I'll see how my weight progresses in the next few weeks. I don't mind putting on some more weight, and then dropping the fat at the end of SS.

Yo man. I don't think it's a problem if you want to do some extra pullups at the end of the session. Just realize, it might slightly impede your recovery, especially when you're dead-lifting every other workout. Perhaps you could alternate between chin days and pullup days, or do your pullups on the last day of the week, prior to having 2 days off. Then again, I am pretty horrible at scheduling full A workouts and B workouts, so I might not be the guy you want to listen to.

[elievan]

So I've begun to move away from the strict programming of SS. I was amazed at my linear gains, and think I could have sustained them for longer (I didn't even reset once), but I now want to move away from pure strength, and yes, to a more gpp fitness program like crossfit (then reason i found this program in the first place).

My goal has always been to become well rounded, strong definitely, but also fit. I'll definitely miss the amazing strength gains I've attained week after week, but hope to still be able to gain, even though it will be slower.

I'm trying to think up the programming, but its not easy. Ultimately, I'd like to do a strength lift 2 days a week, and more cardio 3 times a week. By cardio, I mean combining high rep air squats, pushups, pull ups and running into high intensity workouts.

I've been thinking something like this (If anyone has any suggestions please chime in):

Monday:
Heavy Squats
Heavy Press
Heavy DL

Tuesday:
short (15min or less) crossfit type workout

Wednesday:
Slow 3mile run.

Thursday:
Heavy Squat
Heavy Bench Press
Heavy Power Clean

Friday:
Longer crossfit workout (30min or so)

I know there is a good chance I wont recover enough to lift heavy, this is one of my main concerns. I've thought about just following the crossfit WOD, but I would like to lean more towards strength still, at least for a while longer.

Either way, here were my gains while on a very strict SS routine (all 5x3).

SQ: 165 --> 265 (100lb gain)
Bench Press: 115 --> 175 (60 lb gain)
Dead Lift: 165 --> 265 (100lb gain)
Press: 85 --> 125 (40lb gain)
Power Clean: 90 --> 140 (50lb gain)

This isn't the end of this log by a long shot, but I just wanted to throw out a thanks to Rip and everyone in this community - getting into a program like this for the last 2 months has really changed me for the better, and I look forward to continuing to be a useful and strong(er) addition to society late into my life.