View Full Version : TGM's SS log
Ok, I used to keep my log on another forum but I think I might update it here from now on as I'll probably get better feedback.
Starting weights: (started late november 2009)
Squat: 45
Deadlift: 55
Bench: 45
Press: 30
Power Clean: ??
Weighed 88kg myself.
Current PR's:
Squat: 147.5kg for a triple.
Deadlift: 150x4
Bench: 90x5
Press: 70x5
Power Clean: 67.5x3
Now weight about 95kg, need to eat more and put on more weight.
Routine is as follows, I've sorta fucked with the novice program as outlined in PP because I felt I wasn't deadlifting enough. If this is a bad idea feel free to tell me.
Monday
Squat 3x5
Press/Bench 3x5
Power Clean 5x3
Wednesday
Light Squat 3x5 (80% of Mondays weight)
Press/Bench 3x5
Weighted Back Hypers 3x5
Chin ups/Pull ups 3xfailure
Friday
Squat 3x5
Press/Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
If I've bastardised the program too much and you guys think I should revert to one of the written ones please tell me.
I don't know if the back hypers are helping but once my power clean gets heavier it might be nice having a break from pulling from the floor.
Light squat days are keeping my progress on this lift going smoothly, 5kg a week isn't too bad and I think if I was adding 7.5kg a week I might stall soon. At the moment I hope to make at least 155kg and hopefully 160kg or more before I stall again.
A few weeks ago I reset most of my lifts after being sick, I'm due to surpass previous PR's in the next few weeks.
My old log is here: Old Log (http://ausbb.com/member-training-diaries/10039-tgms-training-log.html)
Squat: 145kg 5x3
Bench: 87kg 5x3
Deadlift: 140kg 5x1
Bar speed was decent on all lifts. Today's squats felt easier than last Mondays.
GripAU
03-12-2010, 03:01 AM
keep it up fellow aussie. Your squat is > deadlift. I'm jelous!!
Lol yeah my deadlift is lower but only because my form isn't too great, I'm hoping to catch it up.
15/03/2010
Squat: 147.5kg x5x3
Press: 70kg x5x3
Power Clean: 67.5 x3x5
Squats were hard but form was good. Presses were strangely easy. Friday will be a PR for both.
GripAU
03-14-2010, 10:42 PM
What DL form issues you having?
Well I got my training partner to video me DLing 150 for reps at my back was rounding massively, and I only got 4 reps out.
So a couple weeks ago I dropped it down to 135 and I'm trying to keep a neutral spinal curvature. So far it's been good but we'll see how it is when I get back to 150.
17/3/2010
Squat: 120kgx5x3 (light day)
Bench Press: 88kgx5x3
Back Hyper: 3x8 with 20kg
Pull Ups: 4,3,3
19/3/2010
Squat: 150kg x5x3
Press: 71kg x5x2, x4x1
Deadlift: 145kg x2
PR'ed the squat, felt good and depth and barspeed were good too. I'm starting to think I should get some shoes that are better than chucks now.
Missed last press and strained my back somehow, deadlift was shocking too. But I was bloody tired, next week I'll get the reps.
EDIT: Also PR'd my weight, 97.1kg in the morning. Will break 100 soon.
22/03/2010
Squat: 152.5kg x5x3
Bench: 90kg 4x1, 3x1
Power Clean: 70kg x3x5
I don't know why my bench failed so miserably, but squats were good.
Weight: 96.8kg
24/3/2010
Squat: 120kg x5x3
Did not finish the rest as my left elbow is rooted. Hurts to even put plates on the bar, I don't know wtf happened. Pain only started during squats, and I didn't have bent wrists.
GripAU
03-24-2010, 03:11 AM
Sucks about the elbow dude. How'd u manage that. Almost busted my wrist and groin today. Injuries suck
^ Yeah they do.
I have no idea how I hurt my elbow, hopefully it's not an impinged nerve in my neck which is the only thing I can think of. It's getting better though.
The definitive squat-elbow thread. http://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/showthread.php?t=14589 :)
Good luck, and great work so far.
^ Thanks alot mate, it happened again today and after my squats I called it quits as I just felt to weak during my bench press warmup. I actually did a search and found that thread today. :)
I'll experiment with bar position, and I might go see a coach next week.
It's bloody annoying, arm feels fine now but right after (and during) squats it felt so weak.
Anyway:
26/03/2010
Squats: 155kg x5x3
My elbow hurt during the last two sets but I wanted to get them out. Depth was good, and the squats felt solid with the bar speed not slow but not fast either.
Having a light day on Wednesdays has worked wonders, it feels like I won't stall for ages yet.
Did not attempt bench press worksets or deadlifts today, my left arm was too weak.
For me, in the end, it was pointed out to me that I was pulling the bar down with one arm and putting that elbow in a bind. Once I realised that and got someone to cue me to keep pushing my elbows up during the sticking point, the pain went away very very quickly. Like, the next session it was almost gone.
Shoot a vid from behind and watch your elbows if they strain downwards.
Good luck.
29/03/2010
Squats: 157.5kg x5x3
Press: 71kg x5x3
Power Clean: attempted 72.5kg
Squats were slow, I didn't eat anything today. Will need to eat more before Friday. No problems with shoulder or elbow today, used a wider grip.
Presses were easy, bar speed fast.
I did not get one power clean out, even after dropping the weight. I don't know why.
GripAU
03-29-2010, 05:46 AM
Yeah man, common for me on monday mornings. Dude your squat is insane. you're gonna have 3 wheels plus 1 smaller wheel soon. Sick as. I weighed in at 97.2? the other day, morning, nothing in me, raw. So we will see. Press officially stalled today at 65. only got it for 3, was heavy as. Microloading 63.75 now. Pretty bummed but considering people often stall below 60 i'm still happy.
I am proud of the squat, will get 160kg on friday. I'm hoping to get to 170 before a stall. It helps having a long torso and short legs, which on the other hand makes DLs suck.
Don't worry about the press, 65kg isn't bad at all, I got to 70 and dropped to 60kg and started microloading. I've found that the press is on of the hardest lifts to add heaps of weight to.
GripAU
03-29-2010, 06:38 AM
Yeah, my goal is 160 before i stall once. Maybe earlier, because family and gf are starting to worry about my milk intake. If i can finish around 180+ for reps i'll be happy. Not looking forward to ending linear progression though, it will be like squatting without food, hungover and no sleep. You probably got one of the top squats in your gym, especially if it's a globo gym, and as a novice that's pretty impressive.
160 is pretty huge for a first stall, I stalled at 140 something. If you get 160 that's doing great as I've heard you have a few stalls before you end the novice progression.
180+ for reps is a damn solid squat for a novice and I'd like to end up there as well.
Lol, my "gym" is just a power rack in the TV room, so I'm always the strongest guy there. :D But yeah, 3 plates and some change is a decent squat for most fitness first type gyms. (If they even have squat racks.) If I went to Apollo's or another powerlifter gym I'd look like a baby though.
GripAU
03-29-2010, 07:58 PM
I was a member at fitness first for 4 months. Biggest squat I saw during that period was 120kgx3 box squats, with the box at half squat height. First day at my new gym I see some dude repping 180. Big surprise lol
31/3/2010
Squat: 125kg x5x3
Squats were an easy light day. Left arm felt slightly weak afterwards.
Arm buckled on the bench, almost dropped it, end on workout. FUCK.
This is annoying, will have to go see a coach.
Weight: 97.5kg in the morning.
2/4/2010
Squat: 160kg x5x1
Bar speed good on first four reps, last rep was slow.
Had a migrane all day, been getting them all week. Ibuprofen and paracetamol do nothing... Completed the first set nicely, but it just made my head worse. I tried the second set and failed halfway through. Head throbbing, hurt to even move, end workout.
I'll smash 160 on Monday as it wasn't to hard today but my head wouldn't let me when my body was raring to go.
I may have to reset all my upper body lifts as I've been out of routine for almost two weeks.
Oh well, I got 160kg easy for one set and I weighed in at 98.4kg this morning.
5/4/2010
Squat: 160kg x5x2, x4x1
Bench: 90kg x5x2, x2x1
Power Clean: 0
Squats failed on last rep, will get it Friday.
Bench failed in the third set, that's to be expected seeing as I couldn't bench for the past two weeks, will make it Friday.
I could not pull off one power clean today, I will see a coach and get my form fixed because it's a major issue.
GripAU
04-05-2010, 03:45 AM
Sucks about the cleans bro. I'm on the same boat, except my wrist is dying.
Check it out, especially the end.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3264790/Corrective-Power-Clean-Teaching-Techniques
hope that helps
Link is broken but thanks anyway.
Will have to read through the chapter in SS again and watch the DVD again.
Also, body weight was 98.9kg today. Closing in on triple digits.
GripAU
04-05-2010, 04:54 AM
try now. should be fixed.I'll weigh myself in Wednesday morn, raw. Competition is still on!!!
7/4/2010
Squat: 130kg x5x3 (light squat day)
Press: 72kg x5x3
Chins: 3,3,2
All lifts good today, squats and presses felt light. Yet somehow my arms and shoulders feel like they've been hit by a truck, feels good.
I weighed in at 98.2 this morning and 99.9 raw after the workout. But that doesn't count because I have food in me.
The competition is getting close, somehow I'm lighter but should be in the mid 99's by Friday. Will need more milk.
9/04/2010
Squat: 160kg x5x3
Bench: 90kg x5x1, x3x1, x1x1
Deadlift: 145kg x5x1
Squats were excellent, as they should be since I only missed one rep last time.
Bench sucked, possible because of the elbow problems I was having the last couple weeks.
Deadlifts flew up, even though the last time I deadlifted was the 19th of March. Squats really do have a lot of carryover to the deadlift, hopefully I'll get them up above my squat soon.
Weight 99.1 this morning.
Weighed in at 100.5kg this morning.
12/4/2010
Squat: 162.5kg x5x3
Press: 73kg x5x3
Power Clean: 0
Funny thing with the squats, after my warmup I moved the plate rack that I keep near the left side of my power cage. Bad idea. I went down for my first squat with 160kg+ on my back and the barbell hit the bloody rack and I failed the squat. I then had to bail, scared the crap out of me.
After that it was business as usually. Squats and presses were solid.
Power clean form is a major problem, even with an empty bar my form is off, I need to go see a coach already.
EDIT: Weighed in at 100.3kg this morning.
14/4/2010
Squat: 130kg x5x3
Bench: 80kg x5x2
Pull Ups: 1,1,1
Squats good.
Elbow was hurting on the bench, so I laid off it. I did one rep of 90 and almost lost it so I dropped the weight.
I have no idea what was up with the pullups, most likely the elbow again.
16/4/2010
Squats: 165kg x5x3
Press: 74kg x5x3
Deadlift: 150kg x5x1
Squats were slow but form was good. Press and deadlifts good. Everything was a PR today, feels fucking great.
Weighed 100.5kg today.
19/04/2010
Squats: 167.5kg x5x3
Bench: 90kg x2x1
Squats were slow but good. If I eat right I'm confident of getting 170kg Friday.
But in the last set I didn't pay close attention to bar position and I hurt my elbow again, which ended my workout there.
I may or may not stop bench pressing for a couple weeks if the elbow still strains. It's good during the press but it can feel a bit weak whilst benching and a rest may be in order.
21/4/2010
Squats: 140kg x5x3 (light day)
I hurt my elbow again whilst squatting; dumb arse move on my part because I could have prevented it by paying more attention to bar position. Could not press more than the bar after that, end workout.
I've got elbow problems too. The left one gives me fits. Do you wear any kind of elbow sleeves? I slather on some heat cream (I use some stuff called Flex-A-Gesic) and put my elbow sleeves on over it. I also take a couple ibuprofen before I go heavy and ice it afterwards. It might not be the cure, but it gets me through some tough days. I always have a little pain, but I go through some stretches of time where the pain is worse than others. If it gets unbearable, I take a week off. Good luck.
Nah no sleeves, it's a nerve impingement problem, if I keep the bar in a certain position my left elbow/upper arm goes numb and it gets very weak. Weak as in putting plates on the bar if an effort. Goes away after a couple hours.
Problem can be avoided if I just have a correct bar position while squatting.
I will try to press now and see how it goes.
Nah no sleeves, it's a nerve impingement problem, if I keep the bar in a certain position my left elbow/upper arm goes numb and it gets very weak. Weak as in putting plates on the bar if an effort. Goes away after a couple hours.
Problem can be avoided if I just have a correct bar position while squatting.
21/4/2010 23:30
Press: 75kg x5x3
My elbow felt a bit better now so I figured I'd give the press a shot. After a quick warmup I made all my reps, though the last set was ugly. But I made all the reps, and 75kg is a PR. Time to go to sleep now.
23/4/2010
Squat: 170kg x5x1
I got the first set out, form was good but each rep was very slow. Couldn't get any more out, but I'm happy with this PR, this is probably my 5RM. Will go for it again Monday but if I have to reset here that's ok.
Hurt my elbow again, tried some ibuprofen but it didn't make a difference.
25/4/2010
Press: 76kg x5x3
Press was ok, form a bit shaky on the last couple of reps.
The rest of my workout was shit, attempted 170kg but only got one rep, attempted 155kg but only got three reps out. I sort of expected this, had very poor recovery over the weekend and didn't eat anything (literally) on Monday. Will rectify this before Wednesday.
28/4/2010
Squat: 140kg x5x3
Bench: 80kg x5x3
Pull Ups: 1,1,1
Squats felt a bit heavier than they should have, hope I'm right for Friday as I'd love to get 170kg x5x3 but if I have to reset here that's ok too. It will probably be my final reset before moving on to intermediate programming for my squat.
I dropped my bench down to 80kg as I haven't benched consitantly for weeks, I will increase in 2.5kg increments untill 90kg and then I'll microload.
Pull ups and chins seem alot harder now that I weigh over 100kg, but it's probably also due to the fact that I haven't had much upper body strength work in the last few weeks due to my elbow.
30/4/2010
Squat: 170kg x5x3
Press: 77kg x1
Deadlift: 155kg x1
Got 170kg, feels good to finally make it. Thought I was gonna stall properly, was grinding the reps out though I'll be lucky to make 172.5 on Monday.
Hurt my shoulder again, hence the shitty deadlift and press. But I don't care I'm happy I made that squat.
3/05/2010
Squat: 172.5kg x2, 180kgx1
Failed on the third rep of 172.5, also hurt my shoulder/elbow so couldn't bench. (Tried benching and failed miserably.)
Thought "fuck it" and tried for 180kg just because. I got two good reps out and failed on the third, felt good to get a four plate squat for a couple reps.
GripAU
05-03-2010, 03:59 AM
You are becoming one strong motherfucker. Fix that elbow of yours! Massive squat. Hoping to match you at least after this first reset.
^ Aye, my elbow and powercleans are horrible, but the four plate squat consoles me a little bit.
GripAU
05-03-2010, 06:43 AM
Yeah i love the DL and BP. Really want to get to 5 plate DL before mid year.
I hit 140 on stalls before but consistency went to shit when i went on holiday to Melbourne (sick city, btw), so i reset it.
Are you squatting belted? I get my titan toro power belt this week, can't wait.
Also, how come the elbow is fucked? You get pain right after squatting? i had that once, it was because i was loading my arms with some of the bar weight. just a thought
keep it up
I'm squatting in a t-shirt, underwear, shorts, and chucks. I'm not one of those "RAW IS WAR" dickheads but I simply can't afford a belt or proper lifting shoes at the moment. I honestly haven't felt the need for a belt yet but if it helps me get stronger faster then I will - still my back and abs felt secure under the 180kg.
I stalled at about 140 the first time, and am going to reset now that it to me a few goes for 170 and i missed 172.5 horribly. My training parter just got 140 today as well, I think he'll stall soon too but we'll see.
The elbow is getting stuffed because I'm impinging a nerve in my shoulder when I squat. If I really pay attention to bar position I can prevent it but that's kind hard to do with ~170kg on your back. I know I let my presses and deadlift falter at the expense of my squat but it was worth it IMO and now that I'm resetting I can fix this issue. Also, I've learned that squats have a huge carryover to the deadlift.
GripAU
05-03-2010, 07:07 AM
ahh shit sorry i just noticed that the answer was further back in your log, i missed it, my bad. yeah i hear ya, being broke is a bitch. i squat in my flat vans too- pretty much same as chucks but not all the way up my ankle. If i can get to 170 before my 2nd stall that'd be nice. I guess i'll have to implement the extra rest day when i feel i need it
Yeah the carry over is huge. it's like almost 1:1 dude when you think about it.
Well if my grip is up to it I'm sure I could deadlift what I squat, it would be weird if I couldn't.
I failed on 155kg because of the nerve impingement not letting me grip, my back and legs felt like they had heaps in reserve. I probably should have gotten some strap for all the times when I hit that nerve actually.
And yeah the extra rest day is what got me from 150kg to 170kg. That and eating heaps.
GripAU
05-03-2010, 11:11 PM
dude, strap that shit!! You could also get a couple of hand hooks.. which i guess could pass off in a home gym since there's no one to laugh at you.. haha.
BUT.. if you can train grip without impinging that fucking nerve it would be even better. I got myself some heavy grips (CoC @ kettlebells.com.au are better but dearer) and by doing static holds with a forced close (on a gripper i couldn't close normally) my grip improved HEAPS in 1-2 weeks and despite the anecdotal evidence suggesting that there is little carry over between crush, support and pinch grip, i definately noticed a large carry over to support grip while training on a crush grip training device by using static holds. The hands heal so fast from training too, and it's pretty fun watching normal people struggle at a gripper you can rep.
Types of grip
Crush- grippers, crushing
Support- holding, deadlifts, heavy shrugs
Pinch- pointer finger and thumb
If you're interested- http://www.myopure.com.au/heavy-grip-grippers.html
HG are smaller
Yea I'll get straps if I keep on stuffing up my arm but the plan is to not do that anymore.
I'm trying to add dead hangs at the end of chins and holding onto the last rep of deads so that my grip doesn't go to shit, but so far it's only been a problem when I stuff up my arm.
So yeah, the way I see it I should fix the root of the problem and only move on to straps and grip training if I can't manage that.
Double update:
5/5/2010
Squat: 140kg x5x3
Squats felt a bit heavier than they should. Hurt elbow, end workout.
7/5/2010
Squat: 155kg x5x3
Bench: 82.5kg x5x3
Deadlift: 155kg x5x1
I made all my reps for everything, was a good session. Finally got that deadlift. From now on hopefully I can keep my DL even with my squat.
Squats felt harder than they should considering this is a reset, but I was very tired today.
My hands are shredded.
10/5/2010
Squat: 157.5 x5x3
Power Clean: 70kg
Had a training session with a coach today, working on my power clean form mostly.
My main problems are bending my arms during the pull and not getting my elbows up fast enough to rack the weight. Made 70kg a few times, still need to do some work to get it right though.
Forgot to update it Wednesday.
12/5/2010
Squat: 125kg x5x3
Bench: 85kg x5x3
Pull Ups: 3,1,1
14/5/2010
Squat: 160kg x5x3
Press: 77kg x4x1
Deadlift: 160kg x5x1
Squats are slower than I'd expect them to be, but still good.
Press is probably stalling due to missing so many sessions, I should drop the weight.
Deadlift was good, last rep was a grind. I've been holding my last reps for about 30 seconds to make sure my grip is ok, it destroys the hands though. Glad I got the PR.
EDIT: Also from now on on Mondays I will be training with a coach at his gym, really looking forward to this I think it will help a lot.
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