SS--Again

[scotty022]

So. Starting SS again after an aborted attempt about a year ago. Starting numbers:

age: 32
height: 6'1"
weight: 194 lbs

First workout (1/10/2010):
Warmup: 5 min on the bike, then SDLHP 45x10x3

Squat: 45x5x3
65x5
95x5
105x5x3

Bench Press
45x5x3
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5x3

Deadlift
135x5
155x5
185x5

Lower back started rounding on the last two reps of the deadlifts, but other than that everything felt OK, including my left elbow on the bench (I injured it on bench shortly before I stopped last time). Back on the GOMAD, and the soreness today hasn't been too terrible. Which is good, because those are some low numbers. Whatever. Nowhere to go but up.

[scotty022]

1.13.2010

w: 200
Yeah, I don't think I gained six pounds in two days. I was wearing heavier shoes and probably read 196 as 194 Sunday. Two pounds in two days is good, though.

WU: 5 min on bike
SDLHP: 45x10x3

Squat:
45x5x2
75x5
95x3
115x5x3

These felt good. Better than 105 on Sunday, in fact. I think the "knees out" cue from the active hip article really helped.

Press:
45x5x2
65x5
75x5x3

These were fine. Would have been nice if 75 didn't feel so heavy.

Power Clean (kilos):
20x lots
25x6
30x3
35x3
40x3
42.5x4, 42.5x1

Tweaked something in my upper back. Not bad, but felt worse when I tried it again after a little rest. Iced it and hopefully it will be fine by Sunday.

[scotty022]

1.14.2010
w: 202
WU: 5 min bike
SDLHP 45x10x3

Squat
45x5x2
75x5
105x3
125x5x3

Bench
45x5x2
75x5
85x3
100x5x3

Deadlift
135x5
165x3
195x5

Today felt good. Back was fine. No elbow problems on bench. Deadlift was harder than I'd like for such a low weight.

[scotty022]

1.17.2010
w: 204 2 pounds in 3 days.
WU: 5 min bike
SDLHP 45x3x5

Squat:
45x3x5
75x5
105x3
135x3x5

These were smooth.

Press:
45x2x5
60x5
70x3
80x3x5

Starting to get a little tough, but not bad.

Power Clean (kilos):
25x9 (form work)
30x3
35x3
45x5x3

Last rep was hideously ugly. But the upper back was OK throughout. Twinged a little, but didn't quite hurt. Form is (mostly) continuing to improve--today concentrated on racking properly at the top.

[scotty022]

1.19.2010
w: 205 I knew my eating has sucked lately. Only one pound in two days.
WU: 5 min bike
SDLHP 45x3x10

Squat
45x2x5
85x5
115x3
145x3x5

Bench
45x2x5
75x5
95x3
105x3x5

Deadlift
135x5
175x3
205x5

Even though the weight gain was less than it has been, these all felt good. Especially the bench--it's time to try a 10 lb jump there on Sunday. No elbow issues at all.

[scotty022]

1.21.2010
w: 205 Stalled on the weight gain. My eating has just been atrocious.
WU: 5 min bike
SDLHP 45x3x5

Squat
45x2x5
75x5
105x3
135x2
155x3x5

These are getting hard, which is embarrassing. Way too early to start struggling.

Press
45x2x5
65x4
75x3
85x3x5

Power Clean (kilos)
25x7 (form practice)
30x3
35x3
47.5x4x3

Stopped after the fourth set because I've definitely done something to myself. It seems to have something to do with either racking incorrectly--probably pushing up on the bar with my hands as I rack it--or something with lowering the bar incorrectly. Ice again and we'll see. Not sure how or whether to do the Bill Starr routine. Frustrating.

[scotty022]

1.26.2010

w: 206
WU: 5 min bike
SDLHP 45x3cx10

Squat

45x2x5
75x5
105x3
135x2
165x3x5

Bench
45x2x5
75x5
95x3
115x3x5

My patellar pain in my left knee (and a bit in my right) is just not going away, so I'm cutting out deadlifts and power cleans--the rehab advice I've found recommends exercises that strengthen and stretch the leg muscles, so it seems squats should do the trick. We'll see.

Bench was fine with the 10-lb jump. Back to 5-lb jumps next time.

Using a belt now for squats. I really like it.

[strongdaniel]

Looks like you're off to a good start, man. Get 'er done!

[scotty022]

Thanks, Daniel!

1.29.2010

Still laying off the deadlift, but I think I'll put it back in--it's the eccentric part of the movement that hurts my knee.

w: 207 I have to find a way to get back to eating more.
WU: 5 min bike
air squat 3x10
pushups 3x10

Squat
45x2x5
85x5
115x3
155x2
175x3x5

Press
45x2x5
65x5
80x3
90x2x5, 90x3

Went onto my toes to finish rep 4 of the last set, then failed completely on rep 5. Very frustrating. Need to buckle down on food and rest.

[scotty022]

2.3.2010 w: 210 Very surprised by this. But pleased.
WU: 5 min bike
32.5 lb KB swings, 2x10

Squat
45x3x5
95x5
135x3
165x2
185x3x5

Bench
45x2x5
75x5
105x3
125x3x5

Deadlift
135x5
185x3
215x5

Workout today went very well. Bench in particular was again a 10 lb. jump, and again was cake.

Post-workout is not going well. Both knees are now having some serious tendonitis. They seem to be worse after the workout, not better. Searches on this site have revealed that squats are supposed to help, not hurt. I wonder if some stretching is in order. At the very least, the heating pad is definitely helping; just don't know if the squats are helping or hurting.

[scotty022]

2.5.2010

w: 212 Nice. Up to a 38 waist, and I've built myself a gut. I find that it doesn't bother me.

WU: 5 min bike
35x2x10 KB swing

Squat
45x3x5
95x5
135x3
175x2
195x3x5

Press
45x2x5
65x5
80x3
90x3x5

Still holding off on power cleans. Tried them today and the knees did not approve. Continuing the heat, and I'm going to start stretching as well.

Other than that, everything felt solid. Press went up without any trouble; a relief, since I missed two reps at this weight last time. Squat is getting harder but still feeling OK. It will be a big relief for my ego when I get to two wheels.

[scotty022]

2.8.2010
w: 214
WU: 5 min bike
45x3x10 SDLHP

Squat
45x3x5
95x5
135x3
185x2
205x3x5

Bench
45x2x5
85x5
115x4
130x3x5

Deadlift
135x5
195x3
225x5

Bench felt like crap--my bad elbow is back. At some point I'm probably just going to have to do some real rehab.

But the deadlifts felt great. Time to mix in a couple 15-lb jumps.

Also stretched today. I think it helped a bit with the knees. We'll see.

[TartanEagle]

A bunch of people here, including me, have elbow problems. It seems that squats are the main culprit (this is the case for me). Check Sami's post in the Technique section:
http://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/showthread.php?t=14589

Maybe this applies to you, maybe not.

[scotty022]

Tartaneagle, thanks very much for that. It's interesting--I don't get pain while squatting, but a lot of the other symptoms are the same, especially the way the pain seems to be accompanied by weakness. I think I'll start keeping a careful eye on this while I squat.

This all started about a year ago when I tweaked it while benching. It doesn't seem to have healed properly. It hurts when I bench and when I do pullups, and it's worse with chinups than pullups.

I'll keep an eye on it while squatting. If it persists, and remains unrelated to squats, I'll just have to take my medicine and do the Starr rehab.

[scotty022]

2.10.2010
w: 218 Got my shoes back from being cut down. This is probably just a 2-lb jump, not four.
WU: 5 min bike
35x3x10 KB swing

Squat
45x3x5
95x5
135x3
195x2
215x3x5

Press
45x2x5
65x5
85x3
95x3x5

Stretching
Hamstrings, Glutes, Hips, ITB.

No PCs today--again the knees. I've started stretching pretty aggressively, and I'll add foam rolling starting Friday. Hopefully that will help.

The elbow did indeed start aching during my squat work sets. Twinged some during presses, but as long as I kept my elbows close to my body everything was OK.

[scotty022]

2.11.2010

Stretching
Hamstrings, Glutes, ITB, Quads, Adductors

I really think these are helping.

[scotty022]

2.12.2010

Stretching, about 2 hrs before workout:
Hamstrings, Glutes, Quads, Adductors, ITB

w: 217 Yeah, I didn't drink enough milk today. First time to miss the GOMAD since I started.

WU: 5 min bike
45x3x10 SDLHP

Squat
45x3x5
95x5
135x3
185x2
205x2
225x3x5

Bench Press
45x2x5
95x5
115x3
135x3x5

Deadlift
135x5
185x3
215x2
240x5

Stretching post workout: Hamstrings, Quads.

The elbow is better. I concentrated on keeping it up during the squats and that really helped. It hurt some during bench, but nothing I couldn't handle.

My lower back felt Extremely Uncomfortable--almost painful. That wasn't fun. But then the deadlifts were cake. I think I'll go up ten in the bench and twenty in the DL next time.