Cruz902 SS Log

[Cruz902]

Starting Stats

Age: 17
Height: 5'6
Weight: 148
Body Fat: 18%

Nutrition

Macros are 50/30/20 (C/P/F)
3,100 calories on a clean bulk
Bulk to 170, cut to 150.

Supplements

Whey Powder - 1 scoop prelift, 2 scoops postlift
Daily Multivitamin
3 Fish Oil capsules

Notes
Adding 10 lbs/4.55~ kg each time I deadlift, and 5 lbs/2.27~ kg each time I do everything else.

tyme 2 lift breh

[Cruz902]

http://i53.tinypic.com/15g9dfk.jpg
u mad kuz i has ript lats bruh?

pic4tehlulz

[Cruz902]

Monday, August 01, 2011
Day 1 - Workout A

Squat
3x5x105 / 47.73~ kg
Bench Press
3x5x95 / 43.18~ kg
Deadlift
1x5x135 / 61.36~ kg

Notes
Started with 12 reps of barbell for each exercise, then increased by 10 lbs / 4.55~ kg or 5 lbs / 2.27~ kg each set until I slowed down. I then rested and completed two more working sets for squats and bench, but not the deadlift. The weight on my working sets felt a bit light, but I'd rather start light as opposed to heavy as this program is heavy on progression. I did not stray from my diet at all today.

Sleep - 6 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 3 scoops whey protein, 1 multivitamin, 3 fish oil capsules,
Supplements Skipped - None

[Cruz902]

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Did 20 minutes of high intensity interval running.

Notes
I'll probably replace running with swimming soon, as I'm more than sure my legs will be sore from all the squatting, especially at higher weights. I know some people would bash me and say "rest days are rest days" or "omg you're so dumb, you're doing cardio while bulking" but I'm a firm believer that the heart should not be neglected; I refuse to not incorporate at least two days of cardio in the week.

Sleep - 8 Hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 Multivitamin
Supplements Skipped - 3 scoops whey protein, 3 fish oil capsules (Taking these later in the day with my meals)

[Cruz902]

I decided to read all the stickies in the nutrition section and changed my diet for the better. I'm no longer using some preset ratio like 50/30/20. I previously completely neglected fruits, veggies, and beans, but went shopping yesterday and purchased: soybeans, carrots, broccoli, frozen salad mixes, mushrooms, spinach, and green beans. I absolutely LOVE everything I purchased. It feels great to know I'm hitting both my macros AND micros. My updated diet is as follows

breakfast
1 cup oatmeal 360 calories 54g carbs 10g protein 2.5g fat
2 waffles 140 calories 27g carbs 5g protein 2.5g fat
1 cup OJ 110 calories 27g carbs 2g protein 0g fat
1 multivitamin

610 calories 108g carbs 17g protein 5g fat

meal 2
2 oz spaghetti 200 calories 41g carbs 7g protein 1.5g fat
1 chicken breast 110 calories 1g carb 24g protein 1.5g fat
P.B. sandwich (4 tblspoons p.b., 2 slices bread) 510 calories 41g carbs 21g protein 33.5 fat
1 serv broccoli & carrots 25 calss
1 serv green beans 20 cals
1 fish oil capsule

845 cals 83g carbs 52g protein 36.5g fats

meal3
3 oz spaghetti 300 calories 61.5g carbs 10.5g protein 2.25g fat
1 chicken breast 110 calories 1g carb 24g protein 1.5g fat
14 almonds 85 calories 2.5g carb 3g protein 8g fat
1 cup milk 130 calories 12g carb 8g protein 5g fat
1 serv broccoli & carrots 25 cals
1 fish oil capsule

650 cals 77g carbs 45.5g protein 16.75g fats

meal4
4 oz spaghetti 400 calories 82g carbs 14g protein 3g fat
1 chicken breast 110 calories 1g carb 24g protein 1.5g fat
14 almonds 85 calories 2.5g carb 3g protein 8g fat
1 cup soybeans 130 cals 12g carb 12g protein 6g fat
1 serv mushrooms 20 cals
1 fish oil capsule

745 cals 97.5g carbs 53g protein 18.5g fats

TOTAL
CAL: 2850
Protein: 167.5g
Fats: 76.75g
Carbs: 365.5g

TARGET
CAL: 2806.212
Protein: 181.65g = 726.6 cals
Fats: 74g = 666 cals
Carbs: 353.403g = 1413.612 cals

[Cruz902]

Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Day 2 - Workout B

Squat
3x5x110 / 50 kg
Overhead Press
3x5x55 / 25 kg
Power Cleans
5x3x55 / 25 kg

Notes
Did my warm up sets as always and then hit my working sets. You'll notice I did absurdly low weight for both my OHP and cleans; I did this because I really wanted to stress form. I had never done either lift before, so I wasn't worried about slapping a sht ton of weight on the barbells. I think for the most part I did well on both; for the OHP, I kept the bb in a vertical path and contracted my shoulders at the top of the movement, while keeping my elbows slightly in front of me while going both up and down. For the power cleans, I deadlifted the bar to about mid thigh and then exploded upward, simultaneously jumping and somewhat shrugging with my shoulders & swinging my elbows, eventually leaving them in front of me with the bar resting at the top of my chest. The weight felt damn light, so I'll probably slap 10 lbs on both lifts, if not more for the cleans.

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 3 fish oil capsules,
Supplements Skipped - Whey powder (Taking it out of my diet, only using when I don't have time for meals)

[UngeneticAzn]

SUBBED. Our lifts look quite similar we should race brah :D

[Cruz902]

SUBBED. Our lifts look quite similar we should race brah :D
I'm down :) let's do this, massive strength gains on 3, gogogogogo!

[johnblythe]

NotesI'm a firm believer that the heart should not be neglected; I refuse to not incorporate at least two days of cardio in the week.

there is some great evidence out there (do some googling or pubmed) that shows cardiovascular response to heavy lifting (from squats and deadlifts especially) is as good or better to that of cardio alternatives.

go for it if you want to do it, but if it really is strictly for the sake of not forsaking your heart then do some more investigating and perhaps save yourself some extra time and effort for resting up.

subbing4SS. cute detailed log, looking forward to reading more ;)

[PeterGibbons316]

In.

Recommend 10 lb. jumps on squat for a couple weeks.

Log needs moar vids.

[Cruz902]

there is some great evidence out there (do some googling or pubmed) that shows cardiovascular response to heavy lifting (from squats and deadlifts especially) is as good or better to that of cardio alternatives.

go for it if you want to do it, but if it really is strictly for the sake of not forsaking your heart then do some more investigating and perhaps save yourself some extra time and effort for resting up.

subbing4SS. cute detailed log, looking forward to reading more ;)

I'll definitely look more into that, thanks for pointing that out.


In.

Recommend 10 lb. jumps on squat for a couple weeks.

Log needs moar vids.

Will do, how many weeks did you do 10 lb jumps for with squats before you had to drop it to 5 lb jumps? And the videos will be coming soon; I hope to record my session on Friday consisting of squat, bench, and deadlift :D

[johnblythe]

In.

Recommend 10 lb. jumps on squat for a couple weeks.

Log needs moar vids.

this guy is a god amongst mere mortals. his progress has been stupid awesome. do anything he says :)


I'll definitely look more into that, thanks for pointing that out.

Will do, how many weeks did you do 10 lb jumps for with squats before you had to drop it to 5 lb jumps? And the videos will be coming soon; I hope to record my session on Friday consisting of squat, bench, and deadlift :D

rip says +10 progression for 6 sessions and then bump down to 5. some do more or less based on what their body is telling them.

[MatTheCur]

In4ss

Also, inb4logbreaksdown... It's cute, like John said.

Try to get videos too, so that we can destroy your form and such. ;)

[PeterGibbons316]

rip says +10 progression for 6 sessions and then bump down to 5. some do more or less based on what their body is telling them.
^This

I did it for 10 sessions but I'm a freak.

[johnblythe]

I'm a freak.

he is. very much so.

[MatTheCur]

^This

I did it for 10 sessions but I'm a freak.


he is. very much so.

Serious.

I should've, too, but 5lbs is a safer bet. You'll get there in the end. :)

[Cruz902]

rip says +10 progression for 6 sessions and then bump down to 5. some do more or less based on what their body is telling them.

Is the +10 progression for 6 sessions supposed to be used for all my lifts? Or just a select few (which) or only the squat? Thanks for any clarification :)

[MatTheCur]

Is the +10 progression for 6 sessions supposed to be used for all my lifts? Or just a select few (which) or only the squat? Thanks for any clarification :)

Just the squat ... Might want to get your hands on the book, if you can.

Else read the forums/wiki at*http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki


edit: Deadlifts go up by 20lbs.

[johnblythe]

Is the +10 progression for 6 sessions supposed to be used for all my lifts? Or just a select few (which) or only the squat? Thanks for any clarification :)

there are some diff approaches to this, but here's the general idea:

15-20 for DL, 10-15 on squat, 5-10 on bench, cleans and press. then, after a few sessions, cut in half. most i've seen start w/ 20 on DL, 10 on squat, 10 on the other three. those first three drop to 5 pretty quickly. squat goes a bit longer, then drops to 5. dl goes for a while, around as long as squats, then drops back to 10. the first three then drop further to 2.5 after a while longer for most peeps. but, in the end, YMMV.

[johnblythe]

Just the squat ... Might want to get your hands on the book, if you can.

Else read the forums/wiki at*http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki


edit: Deadlifts go up by 20lbs.

yes, make sure to order the book. now. go. do it. read it. learn it. memorize it. reread it.

til it comes in that wiki should be good (or startingstrength.com)

[MatTheCur]

yes, make sure to order the book. now. go. do it. read it. learn it. memorize it. reread it.

til it comes in that wiki should be good (or startingstrength.com)

Oh, and the DVD. Can't forget the DVD. Get that too.

[PeterGibbons316]

there are some diff approaches to this, but here's the general idea:

15-20 for DL, 10-15 on squat, 5-10 on bench, cleans and press. then, after a few sessions, cut in half. most i've seen start w/ 20 on DL, 10 on squat, 10 on the other three. those first three drop to 5 pretty quickly. squat goes a bit longer, then drops to 5. dl goes for a while, around as long as squats, then drops back to 10. the first three then drop further to 2.5 after a while longer for most peeps. but, in the end, YMMV.

Yes.

You will start to get a feeling for how taxing the weight is as you go, and based on that determine what increment to use for the next session.

Definitely get the book and check out Farley's FAQ if you haven't already.

[Cruz902]

Thanks for all the input guys; reading the entire wiki now and looking in to buying the book and probably the DVD as well. I'll keep the weight increase increments in mind for sure.

[Goku3]

In on this. I'm on my 2nd month of SS so I like watching these logs. Good luck!

[UngeneticAzn]

Thanks for all the input guys; reading the entire wiki now and looking in to buying the book and probably the DVD as well. I'll keep the weight increase increments in mind for sure. Is the book just a really detailed description of SS + how to do the lifts?

[Cruz902]

Is the book just a really detailed description of SS + how to do the lifts?

Not sure as I have never read it, but this is what one review on a site from the SS wiki says about the book

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training is the new expanded version of the book that has been called "the best and most useful of fitness books." It picks up where Starting Strength: A Simple and Practical Guide for Coaching Beginners leaves off. With all new graphics and more than 750 illustrations, a more detailed analysis of the five most important exercises in the weight room, and a new chapter dealing with the most important assistance exercises, Basic Barbell Training offers the most complete examination in print of the most effective way to exercise.

[UngeneticAzn]

Not sure as I have never read it, but this is what one review on a site from the SS wiki says about the book

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training is the new expanded version of the book that has been called "the best and most useful of fitness books." It picks up where Starting Strength: A Simple and Practical Guide for Coaching Beginners leaves off. With all new graphics and more than 750 illustrations, a more detailed analysis of the five most important exercises in the weight room, and a new chapter dealing with the most important assistance exercises, Basic Barbell Training offers the most complete examination in print of the most effective way to exercise.

So I assume you have to buy it? Maybe I'm missing the point here, but can you just watch youtube vids for form? + there's the SS wiki.

[Cruz902]

So I assume you have to buy it? Maybe I'm missing the point here, but can you just watch youtube vids for form? + there's the SS wiki.

I'm sure you could watch youtube videos for form and read the SS wiki, but I doubt either are as in depth as an entire book.

[PeterGibbons316]

If you are doing SS you should buy the book. The book is more than the program, it's over 300 pages of instruction on how to perform the 5 basic lifts and some useful accessories. Less than 10% of the book is the program, and even then it isn't laid out as explicitly as in the wiki or Farley's FAQ. Point being - buy the book to learn how and why you perform the lifts. It's the kind of reference that you want to have a physical copy of lying around.

[UngeneticAzn]

If you are doing SS you should buy the book. The book is more than the program, it's over 300 pages of instruction on how to perform the 5 basic lifts and some useful accessories. Less than 10% of the book is the program, and even then it isn't laid out as explicitly as in the wiki or Farley's FAQ. Point being - buy the book to learn how and why you perform the lifts. It's the kind of reference that you want to have a physical copy of lying around. Sounds good. I planned on getting on eventually anyways, just wanted to know what was in it.

[Cruz902]

http://i52.tinypic.com/242tsth.jpg

This was my meal about two hours ago or so; I still have two more (but about 200 cals less each) as I currently have a fked sleeping pattern and stay up til 5 AM. So far I've taken my daily multivitamin and one fish oil capsule. Still gotta take two more capsules with my last two meals. All carbs in the meal are whole grain.

Meal:
2 oz spaghetti 200 calories 41g carbs 7g protein 1.5g fat
1 chicken breast 110 calories 1g carb 24g protein 1.5g fat
P.B. sandwich (4 tblspoons p.b., 2 slices bread) 510 calories 41g carbs 21g protein 33.5 fat
1 serv broccoli & carrots 25 calss
1 serv green beans 20 cals
1 cup reduced fat milk 130 calories 12g carb 8g protein 5g fat
1 fish oil capsule

975 cals 95g carbs 60g protein 41.5g fats

[MatTheCur]

Sounds good. I planned on getting on eventually anyways, just wanted to know what was in it.

You may want to go ahead and get Practical Programming at the same time. Log book is optional, but good to have.

[Cruz902]

Friday, August 05, 2011
Day 3 - Workout A

Squat
3x5x120 / 54.55~ kg
k9VPlActpsQ
Bench Press
3x5x105 / 47.73~ kg
2WF7SbMSugM
Deadlift
1x5x155 / 70.45~ kg
a3rKzQt5_Zo

Notes
Progressing in 10 lbs / 4.55 kg increments for next four - six sessions, and 20 lbs / 9.1 kg increments for deadlift. Everything felt manageable. Any constructive criticism regarding form would be greatly appreciated.

Sleep - 6.5 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 scoop whey protein, 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (consuming with my last 2 meals)

[Cruz902]

Also, any constructive criticism of my friend's form would also be greatly appreciated, thanks.

AcczGn8tPEQ

Xeu3dGh2lYY

He hasn't sent me his deadlift video, but he pretty much did the same thing I was doing, so I suppose that gives you a general idea of what to critique for the both of us.

[PeterGibbons316]

Friday, August 05, 2011
Day 3 - Workout A

Squat
3x5x120 / 54.55~ kg
k9VPlActpsQ
Bench Press
3x5x105 / 47.73~ kg
2WF7SbMSugM
Deadlift
1x5x155 / 70.45~ kg
a3rKzQt5_Zo

Notes
Progressing in 10 lbs / 4.55 kg increments for next four - six sessions, and 20 lbs / 9.1 kg increments for deadlift. Everything felt manageable. Any constructive criticism regarding form would be greatly appreciated.

Sleep - 6.5 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 scoop whey protein, 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (consuming with my last 2 meals)

Your bench form looks solid, you seem a little shaky under there, but that will fade as you get used to the movement.

Deadlift looked good as well. I think you might be the only person I have ever seen perform the negative slower than the actual lift. You are doing a good job maintaining your form on the descent, but try to do it more quickly :)

The angle on your squat vid isn't so good. Have your friend get a lower angle so we can check your depth. Try to sit back more - your knees are pretty far out over your toes, keep your back straight, and work on your hip drive. You need to rebound out of the bottom and drive your ass straight up.

[Cruz902]

Your bench form looks solid, you seem a little shaky under there, but that will fade as you get used to the movement.

Deadlift looked good as well. I think you might be the only person I have ever seen perform the negative slower than the actual lift. You are doing a good job maintaining your form on the descent, but try to do it more quickly :)

The angle on your squat vid isn't so good. Have your friend get a lower angle so we can check your depth. Try to sit back more - your knees are pretty far out over your toes, keep your back straight, and work on your hip drive. You need to rebound out of the bottom and drive your ass straight up.

Thanks for all the great feedback; I'll work on descending a bit quicker with those deads. As for the squat, I have a relatively low bar position, and feel that if I try to keep my back any straighter, the bar would roll off my back. Any tips? I suppose sticking my elbows farther out would help?

[PeterGibbons316]

Also, any constructive criticism of my friend's form would also be greatly appreciated, thanks.

AcczGn8tPEQ

Xeu3dGh2lYY

He hasn't sent me his deadlift video, but he pretty much did the same thing I was doing, so I suppose that gives you a general idea of what to critique for the both of us.
Rods squat is an exaggerated version of what you are doing I think. He is just siting straight down and actually coming up on to his toes. He needs to sit back and focus on driving through his heels like he is pressing the floor down.

Also, it looks like you guys are doing high bar squats. If you can get the bar lower down your back it will help you to stay back on your heels I think.

Looks like Rod is bringing the bar down too low on his chest, and maybe is lifting his shoulders off the bench at the top of the rep, which would be undesirable. Or he might just have JohnnyB style super lanky arms which will just make it that much more challenging for him in the future.

[PeterGibbons316]

Thanks for all the great feedback; I'll work on descending a bit quicker with those deads. As for the squat, I have a relatively low bar position, and feel that if I try to keep my back any straighter, the bar would roll off my back. Any tips? I suppose sticking my elbows farther out would help?

Keep your lower back straighter, and don't be afraid to bend over as you drop down. You want to keep the bar over the middle of your foot, so if your ass is back then you are going to have to bend over to keep your balance. Check out ngolsen's log and watch some of his squat vids. He does a better job than most sitting back. Also, dude is a ****ing beast.

Getting your elbows up and keeping your wrists straight will help with this.

[Cruz902]

Keep your lower back straighter, and don't be afraid to bend over as you drop down. You want to keep the bar over the middle of your foot, so if your ass is back then you are going to have to bend over to keep your balance. Check out ngolsen's log and watch some of his squat vids. He does a better job than most sitting back. Also, dude is a ****ing beast.

Getting your elbows up and keeping your wrists straight will help with this.

I see what you mean for sure. Just watched one of his squat vids in one browser while simultaneously watching mine. I saw the hip drive while rebouding out of the hole in his, and the slight bend in his back as he drove through the heels. Definitely going to take a mental note of that next time we squat. Thanks a lot for the tips :D P.S. almost positive Rod wasn't allowing his shoulders to leave the bench. He just has extremely long and lanky arms as he is quite taller than I. I will, however, make sure to tell him about the bar placement on his chest, as well as the squat tips about driving with the hip out of the hole and bending while keeping the lower back straight.

[johnblythe]

jason has pretty much nailed it all so i won't bother rehashing. good work, keep it up.

[Cruz902]

jason has pretty much nailed it all so i won't bother rehashing. good work, keep it up.

Thanks man, I see all the errors so clearly now, wow. Really impressive what recording a 20 second video for some constructive criticism can do for your form. I wasn't really starting with my hips and sitting back while keeping my lower back straight, I was kinda just sinking down from the knees and what not. *Edit* Showed Rod your comments, Jason. He says thank you; your critique was very appreciated and he took notes for the next time we lift.

[7399martyn]

Right,

Squat. Break at the hips, slower on the eccentric (downward) phase.

Bench. looks ok.

Dead. Lean back a bit*more*at the top, as in, push the hips out a little more.

keep it up.

[PeterGibbons316]

I forgot to mention the worst thing you are doing. When you rack the weight after your set keep your head forward and just slam both sides into the rack at the same time. Looking left and right or racking one side at a time will lead to injury once you get some serious weight on the bar.

[nainchik]

I forgot to mention the worst thing you are doing. When you rack the weight after your set keep your head forward and just slam both sides into the rack at the same time. Looking left and right or racking one side at a time will lead to injury once you get some serious weight on the bar.
Wow, that was useful, didn't know that.

And subbed to your log, i have almost similar stats now :)

[Cruz902]

Wow, that was useful, didn't know that.

And subbed to your log, i have almost similar stats now :)

Yup, Jason is a cesspool of valuable knowledge :) Do you have your own log so I can take a look at it and sub back?

[nainchik]

Do you have your own log so I can take a look at it and sub back?
Here (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=136958743) :)
Started a couple of days ago

[johnblythe]

Thanks man, I see all the errors so clearly now, wow. Really impressive what recording a 20 second video for some constructive criticism can do for your form. I wasn't really starting with my hips and sitting back while keeping my lower back straight, I was kinda just sinking down from the knees and what not. *Edit* Showed Rod your comments, Jason. He says thank you; your critique was very appreciated and he took notes for the next time we lift. yup, vidz are the way to go. i was too much of a little girl to video them when i first started, self-conscious and all that lame stuff. got to 210 on squats and finally gave in (from constant prodding from guys on my log :)) and recorded it, realized my form was complete trash (i was doing ultra good mornings with a quarter squat basically) and was going to hurt me. so i did a complete squat reset, all the way back down to 135 and basically started over again w/ videoing everything so i could get my form tore up and thus corrected. oooo how i wish i had done that in the beginning. would have saved myself tons of unnecessarily tough sessions and been at the 300 mark now. :\ live and learn!

[Cruz902]

Tomorrow's workout B, and I think I'm going to start doing the assistance work (dips on workout A, chin ups on workout B). I've also secretly been doing BW calf raises on workout B day and very light ab work on Tuesdays and Thursdays after doing HIIT. Any objections to performing these assistance exercises? I know dips and chin ups are common, but not calf raises. I began incorporating them because I already have tiny calves, and I'm worried they are going to be immensely lagging by the end of SS.


yup, vidz are the way to go. i was too much of a little girl to video them when i first started, self-conscious and all that lame stuff. got to 210 on squats and finally gave in (from constant prodding from guys on my log :)) and recorded it, realized my form was complete trash (i was doing ultra good mornings with a quarter squat basically) and was going to hurt me. so i did a complete squat reset, all the way back down to 135 and basically started over again w/ videoing everything so i could get my form tore up and thus corrected. oooo how i wish i had done that in the beginning. would have saved myself tons of unnecessarily tough sessions and been at the 300 mark now. :\ live and learn!

Fuuuuu, that sucks! Glad to hear you relearned them and did them proper. I can't wait to squat tomorrow so I can perform them much more accurately. I've been practicing in front of a mirror doing a few BW squats and I think I've finally got it down! If not, I won't stop til I get em right.

[UngeneticAzn]

Calf raises are perfectly fine, I do them on A days as well.

[PeterGibbons316]

I didn't realize that you are doing HIIT on your off days. That might work for a while, but it will most likely start to impact your ability to recover from heavy squatting. I'd be ready to drop it if you start to stall. Honestly, I think you would be better off doing your cardio on the same day as your lifting, just immediately following your workout.

My two cents anyway.

[Cruz902]

I didn't realize that you are doing HIIT on your off days. That might work for a while, but it will most likely start to impact your ability to recover from heavy squatting. I'd be ready to drop it if you start to stall. Honestly, I think you would be better off doing your cardio on the same day as your lifting, just immediately following your workout.

My two cents anyway.

Thanks for the input; Rod gave me the same advice, as I believe that is what he does. What's your take on my assistance work (dips, chin ups, and calf raises)

[johnblythe]

Tomorrow's workout B, and I think I'm going to start doing the assistance work (dips on workout A, chin ups on workout B). I've also secretly been doing BW calf raises on workout B day and very light ab work on Tuesdays and Thursdays after doing HIIT. Any objections to performing these assistance exercises? I know dips and chin ups are common, but not calf raises. I began incorporating them because I already have tiny calves, and I'm worried they are going to be immensely lagging by the end of SS.



Fuuuuu, that sucks! Glad to hear you relearned them and did them proper. I can't wait to squat tomorrow so I can perform them much more accurately. I've been practicing in front of a mirror doing a few BW squats and I think I've finally got it down! If not, I won't stop til I get em right.

ya it totally sucked, stole a month and a half of progress from me :\ but it's all good. plenty of gym rats don't squat at all or have worked their quarter squat up to two plates and are far too proud of it :p so, in the end, i still win :)

calve raises aren't going to hurt your progress since they're such an isolated muscle, but they are pretty pointless most likely. your entire leg, calves included, will be benefiting from below parallel squats. the better the form, the more your calves will be hit, actually. when i got my oly shoes last week and did squats the next day the place i had DOMS was in my calves because of the new amount of ROM i was able to have.

you can add those assistance, but my two cents would say to wait a month or two. put all your energy and focus on getting the big lifts done and done right and then letting your body get used to them and being capable of adapting/repairing as effectively as possible. then the assistance work can help by giving you specialized work and general variety such that you don't grow tired of SS before you've milked it adequately.

always work and plan w/ the long game in mind.

[Cruz902]

ya it totally sucked, stole a month and a half of progress from me :\ but it's all good. plenty of gym rats don't squat at all or have worked their quarter squat up to two plates and are far too proud of it :p so, in the end, i still win :)

calve raises aren't going to hurt your progress since they're such an isolated muscle, but they are pretty pointless most likely. your entire leg, calves included, will be benefiting from below parallel squats. the better the form, the more your calves will be hit, actually. when i got my oly shoes last week and did squats the next day the place i had DOMS was in my calves because of the new amount of ROM i was able to have.

you can add those assistance, but my two cents would say to wait a month or two. put all your energy and focus on getting the big lifts done and done right and then letting your body get used to them and being capable of adapting/repairing as effectively as possible. then the assistance work can help by giving you specialized work and general variety such that you don't grow tired of SS before you've milked it adequately.

always work and plan w/ the long game in mind.

Awesome input, thanks. In other news, here's the meal I'm currently eating
http://i55.tinypic.com/2vvjdxu.jpg

Meal:
1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice 300 cals
1 chicken breast 110 calories 1g carb 24g protein 1.5g fat
1 serv broccoli & carrots 25 calss
14 almonds 85 calories 2.5g carb 3g protein 8g fat
1 fish oil capsule

520 cals

I'm too lazy to calculate macros as the bag of brown rice is in the fridge and I just wanna eat right now :P But I know the macros are very similar to 3 oz of spaghetti that I usually make, so I'm not far off at all from hitting my macros. Plus, it's a rest day, so I don't think I'll be dying or anything if I don't get the same amount of carbs as a work day.

[Jasonpan]

there is some great evidence out there (do some googling or pubmed) that shows cardiovascular response to heavy lifting (from squats and deadlifts especially) is as good or better to that of cardio alternatives.

go for it if you want to do it, but if it really is strictly for the sake of not forsaking your heart then do some more investigating and perhaps save yourself some extra time and effort for resting up.

subbing4SS. cute detailed log, looking forward to reading more ;)

Just like anything, your body gets good at what you subject it to. You subject it to heavy ass squats and deadlifts, your cardio system gets better at dealing with that...kinda like sprinting. You will still suck ass at running more than a mile, I guarantee it. So long as the extra cardio doesnt interfere with your progress...bring it on!

That being said, IN FOR SS!

[Cruz902]

Monday, August 08, 2011
Day 4 - Workout B

Squat
3x5x130 / 59.09~ kg
Overhead Press
3x5x65 / 29.55~ kg
Power Cleans
5x3x65 / 29.55~ kg
zF61idzkH00
(I accidentally did more reps than I was supposed to on this set)

Notes
My cleans were absolutely awful today. Please break down what I'm doing wrong and what I should be doing. I've watched a few vids but I can't seem to actually get the motion down myself. Other than that, I believe my squat form was much better. Not too sure about my OHP to be honest, but I'll take vids of both next time and you guys can determine that for yourselves. I'm not sure why, but I feel more tired than usual today. I'm gonna combine two of my meals in to one super meal and then call it a night.

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 2 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 1 fish oil capsule (taken with next meal)

[johnblythe]

Monday, August 08, 2011
Day 4 - Workout B

Squat
3x5x130 / 59.09~ kg
Overhead Press
3x5x65 / 29.55~ kg
Power Cleans
5x3x65 / 29.55~ kg
zF61idzkH00
(I accidentally did more reps than I was supposed to on this set)

Notes
My cleans were absolutely awful today. Please break down what I'm doing wrong and what I should be doing. I've watched a few vids but I can't seem to actually get the motion down myself. Other than that, I believe my squat form was much better. Not too sure about my OHP to be honest, but I'll take vids of both next time and you guys can determine that for yourselves. I'm not sure why, but I feel more tired than usual today. I'm gonna combine two of my meals in to one super meal and then call it a night.

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 2 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 1 fish oil capsule (taken with next meal)

make sure to take vids of those squats brah!

wrt cleans: i'm not a cleans kinda guy, enjoyed them at first but ended up hating them, had poor form, only got up to a plate, so i'm not the best coach at this by any means. but, until anyone else chimes in i can point out a few thing. first, it looks like your back is rounded instead of rigid/straight. fix that asap. secondly, if you're not already thinking of this as a deadlift plus extra then start doing so, that'll fix the first problem as well as the next one. third, because the weight is so light it's helping you be able to jump nearly from the start of the movement which isn't how a clean works. you deadlift it up to your lower third to mid thigh and at that point you explode up with the jump that causes momentum to be gained by the bar at which point you move into the racking position.*

the way rip teaches it in the book (have you purchased yet??) is starting at the jumping position and getting it into the rack. next time you do them practice that with an empty bar a good bit before doing the full motion w/ weights. slight bend such that the bar is somewhere in between halfway point of your thigh and your knee and then jump from there to rack it. once you have that portion drilled in your brain you can start from the bottom. pick it up and drag it up the shins just like a deadlift and then when it hits that spot on your leg that you've been practicing with it on you do the explosion.

it's the most complicated movement of the program, for sure, so don't get too worried about not perfecting the form for a while. just keep working on it and buy the book if you haven't already.

[Cruz902]

make sure to take vids of those squats brah!

wrt cleans: i'm not a cleans kinda guy, enjoyed them at first but ended up hating them, had poor form, only got up to a plate, so i'm not the best coach at this by any means. but, until anyone else chimes in i can point out a few thing. first, it looks like your back is rounded instead of rigid/straight. fix that asap. secondly, if you're not already thinking of this as a deadlift plus extra then start doing so, that'll fix the first problem as well as the next one. third, because the weight is so light it's helping you be able to jump nearly from the start of the movement which isn't how a clean works. you deadlift it up to your lower third to mid thigh and at that point you explode up with the jump that causes momentum to be gained by the bar at which point you move into the racking position.*

the way rip teaches it in the book (have you purchased yet??) is starting at the jumping position and getting it into the rack. next time you do them practice that with an empty bar a good bit before doing the full motion w/ weights. slight bend such that the bar is somewhere in between halfway point of your thigh and your knee and then jump from there to rack it. once you have that portion drilled in your brain you can start from the bottom. pick it up and drag it up the shins just like a deadlift and then when it hits that spot on your leg that you've been practicing with it on you do the explosion.

it's the most complicated movement of the program, for sure, so don't get too worried about not perfecting the form for a while. just keep working on it and buy the book if you haven't already.

Thanks for the clarification. I have been thinking of them as deadlifts for the first motion. And I have not purchased the book yet, as I've had to pay for school-related things for the better half of the past week. I'll be purchasing it very soon now that I've got that out of the way.

[johnblythe]

Thanks for the clarification. I have been thinking of them as deadlifts for the first motion. And I have not purchased the book yet, as I've had to pay for school-related things for the better half of the past week. I'll be purchasing it very soon now that I've got that out of the way.PM me your email and i can send you a digital copy for now

[Cruz902]

PM me your email and i can send you a digital copy for now
Wow, I'm just 18 pages in and I've already learned so much. This book is absolutely amazing. Definitely purchasing it A.S.A.P. and reading all of it. Thank you so much.

[johnblythe]

Wow, I'm just 18 pages in and I've already learned so much. This book is absolutely amazing. Definitely purchasing it A.S.A.P. and reading all of it. Thank you so much.

that's what i like to hear :)

[MatTheCur]

Wow, I'm just 18 pages in and I've already learned so much. This book is absolutely amazing. Definitely purchasing it A.S.A.P. and reading all of it. Thank you so much.

Just wait ... Jussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst wait. :) (and, btw, I AM subbed to you. ;) )


that's what i like to hear :)

Well... C'mon now... There are other things we like to hear... Like randy's pants ripping, nick farting before a set... Right? Amirite?! =/

[Cruz902]

Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Day 5 - Workout A

Squat
3x5x140 / 64~ kg
JEHYCmOJGyg
Bench Press
3x5x115 / 52~ kg
Ycw_f5dJjNQ
Deadlift
1x5x175 / 80~ kg

Notes
My arms were shaking vigorously on the last set of my bench, but the weight really didn't feel heavy and my arms/pecs/shoulders didn't hurt or anything. Any ideas as to why this was happening? Apart from that, I forgot to record my deadlifts, as I had completed my warm up sets and then slapped the weight on for my working set and flat out forgot that there was only one set haha. Also, any constructive criticism of form is greatly appreciated, as always. Thanks guys :)

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (taken with next meals)

[nainchik]

You're doing good!

I think you might be interested in reading this article about fish oils here (http://www.leangains.com/2011/05/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-muscle-growth.html), because you can really benefit from bumping your fish oil intake up. Just a tip :)

[UngeneticAzn]

Dang, your bench is catching up to mine...need to workout :( Nice squat/deadlift number as well. For your bench, try to push straight up instead of angling it towards your head like you seem to be doing in the video. Other than that, it looks pretty good!

[Cruz902]

Dang, your bench is catching up to mine...need to workout :( Nice squat/deadlift number as well. For your bench, try to push straight up instead of angling it towards your head like you seem to be doing in the video. Other than that, it looks pretty good!

Haha yeah, I'm increasing by 10 lbs for every lift except the deads - those are going up by 20. Gonna increase by these increments at least three more times, then depending on how I feel, I may or may not start increasing by 5s for everything and 10s for deads. And yeah, my set up from the get go was totally off for my bench that day. I've got an idea of what I need to be doing next time. As for my squats, I'm gonna start positioning the bar at the top of my posterior delts and keep my elbows up more instead of placing the bar on my traps and keepin my elbows down. I think if I fix that and then sit back a bit more using that hip drive my squats will look a tad bit better.

[johnblythe]

Haha yeah, I'm increasing by 10 lbs for every lift except the deads - those are going up by 20. Gonna increase by these increments at least three more times, then depending on how I feel, I may or may not start increasing by 5s for everything and 10s for deads. And yeah, my set up from the get go was totally off for my bench that day. I've got an idea of what I need to be doing next time. As for my squats, I'm gonna start positioning the bar at the top of my posterior delts and keep my elbows up more instead of placing the bar on my traps and keepin my elbows down. I think if I fix that and then sit back a bit more using that hip drive my squats will look a tad bit better.

good work my man. squat form looks pretty good. *your chest is staying up, looks like you're getting around parallel at least on most all the reps. it's hard to tell w/ the angle of the vid, see if your guy can squat down and shoot straight from teh side instead of down at an angle (even when he moved down halfway through it wasn't a good shot). you mentioned above sitting back a bit better and hip drive: bingo. keep it up, you're off to a great start.

wrt bench, same goes for videoing, can't really tell what's going on very well from those angles (too high and too much too the side). it seems that you're tucking your elbows a bit too much though which would mean your grip is a bit too narrow causing your tris to get more work than your pecs and shoulders. that would explain the shakey arms but no sore pecs as well :) but, it may just be the angle, so just be mindful of the possibility next bench day.

other than that, great work.

[Cruz902]

Friday, August 12, 2011
Day 6 - Workout B

Squat
3x5x150 / 68~kg
eUg-Np0o7CQ
Overhead Press
3x5x75 / 34~kg
Power Cleans
5x3x85 / 39~kg

Notes
Very tired today going in to my workout; I'm even more tired now. I'm going to combine my last two meals in to one in about an hour or so and then go to sleep. The workout was blah. The cleans were the worst, as usual. I'm going to finish reading the cleans section of the SS book and watch some more instructional videos and hopefully they're better by next B session. I forgot to record the OHP's and cleans, as usual. I promise I'll get video of both next time they are completed. The depth on a few reps during the last set of squats (the above video) was questionable. I'll try to make sure I go a bit below parallel from now on during all reps.

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (taken with next meals)

[PeterGibbons316]

You didn't hit depth on any rep. You need to sit back more and then work on your hip drive to bounce back out of the hole. Imagine a string tied around your junk and someone pulling up on that string from behind.

[Cruz902]

Sometime Saturday morning I noticed a sharp pain in my left knee whenever bringing my knee inward toward my leg. I was hoping it would get better by today but I'm still feeling it. Anyone have any advice or tips? I don't think it's drastically serious, but I feel it when I squat. I'm guessing it's from not hitting depth on the last set of my squats on Friday, increasing the stress put on my knees.

[PeterGibbons316]

Are your knees caving in on the way up? If it were me I would take video of my warmups from the rear and watch each set before you start the next one. If your knees are caving or you see something else drastically wrong stop and lower the weight until you can do it with good form.

[Cruz902]

Are your knees caving in on the way up? If it were me I would take video of my warmups from the rear and watch each set before you start the next one. If your knees are caving or you see something else drastically wrong stop and lower the weight until you can do it with good form.

I'm 99.9% sure my knees are not caving, but I will do as you say. Thanks for the advice.

[Cruz902]

I've decided that since my gym plays probably the worst selection of music known to mankind (Justin Bieber, Green Day, Lady GaGa) I will be composing a playlist for my ipod to listen to while I lift. The following is what I'm currently listening to; but any recommendations are greatly appreciated (preferably some metal-ish type stuff for the gym though).

Gzpt_WGbh8A

[nainchik]

The Ghost Inside, Your Memorial, Remembering Never, Shai Hulud, Counterparts, The Destiny Program. :)

[johnblythe]

periphery's album is a sick one to work out to. i've been using it nearly exclusively since i started back in february

[Cruz902]

Monday, August 15, 2011
Day 7 - Workout A

Squat
3x5x160 / 73~ kg
eoierHcQDxA

Bench Press
3x5x125 / 57~ kg
ZEMnLcrtBlI

Deadlift
1x5x195 / 89~ kg
trMezXklkAw

Notes
This was the most exhausted session I've ever done, and hopefully I won't ever be anywhere near as tired / sore ever again going into a workout. I had just finished playing a few pickup games of basketball for 3 hours straight with pretty much no rest between any game and just 10 minutes or so of rest while walking to the gym from the court. I'm going to ice various parts of my body and take a hot shower after I finish this meal. In regards to the lifts, I feel that I probably still have to work on depth as far as squats go. I'm feeling pretty good still on all my lifts, so I think a 10 lbs increase will be coming for one more session, maybe two.

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (taken with next meals)

[Cruz902]

On a non workout related note, I'm highly considering bulking to 180 instead of 170. I figure if I clean bulk, I might as well do it right and go for the long run and just do one really long, clean bulk, then one long, clean cut, as opposed to constantly bulking and then cutting. I feel like if I clean bulk 22 pounds, then cut 20 or 15 pounds, well I'll really have gotten just about nowhere. Why take two steps forward then one step back? I think the only reason I like the idea of bulking to 170 and cutting to 150 or 155 is cause it would mean I'd be done by next summer, but fuk it, what's the point of looking good for the short term when I'd probably end up clean bulking again? Might as well go for the extra 10 lbs then cut from there and get ridiculously shredded with a lower bf after a year and a half or so of bulking then cutting. /end rant

Thoughts?

[nainchik]

On a non workout related note. . .
I'd personally bulk to as much weight as i can without puking when glancing at the mirror. :) You'll know for sure what to do when you'll come closer to 170!

[PeterGibbons316]

I like that guy quarter squatting behind you at the end of your vid. Your depth looked OK, angle was a little high so hard to tell - you were probably hitting depth on most reps. You still have little to no hip drive. Also, you might benefit some by angling your toes out just a tad more. This will allow you drop your hips down lower, and prevent your knees from travelling so far forward. Here is a vid on hip drive that helped me. Also check out Kirra and Farley's vids, they both have good hip drive.

yha2XAc2qu8

[Cruz902]

I like that guy quarter squatting behind you at the end of your vid. Your depth looked OK, angle was a little high so hard to tell - you were probably hitting depth on most reps. You still have little to no hip drive. Also, you might benefit some by angling your toes out just a tad more. This will allow you drop your hips down lower, and prevent your knees from travelling so far forward. Here is a vid on hip drive that helped me. Also check out Kirra and Farley's vids, they both have good hip drive.

yha2XAc2qu8

To be honest I really feel like I am driving with my hips. I don't really see a huge difference in those videos and mine. I checked out Kirra's and Farley's, and I asked for a form critique from Farley in the SS sticky and he said everything looks fine. I'll try angling my toes out and sticking my butt out more though.

Also, I stepped on the scale today and it said I gained 4 lbs in the past week, WTF?!?! Last week I had only gained a pound eating pretty much the same exact sht. I didn't go out and splurge on junk food or have any fast food, the only thing I can think of is maybe I ate a lot more fruits and veggies this week and I didn't really track the cals for that. Hopefully I don't gain more than a pound this week, gonna be extremely strict with my macros and cals.

[PeterGibbons316]

To be honest I really feel like I am driving with my hips. I don't really see a huge difference in those videos and mine. I checked out Kirra's and Farley's, and I asked for a form critique from Farley in the SS sticky and he said everything looks fine. I'll try angling my toes out and sticking my butt out more though.

Also, I stepped on the scale today and it said I gained 4 lbs in the past week, WTF?!?! Last week I had only gained a pound eating pretty much the same exact sht. I didn't go out and splurge on junk food or have any fast food, the only thing I can think of is maybe I ate a lot more fruits and veggies this week and I didn't really track the cals for that. Hopefully I don't gain more than a pound this week, gonna be extremely strict with my macros and cals.
One thing you are doing that I have been struggling with myself is your knees are coming forward at the bottom of the rep. So while it might feel like you are driving your ass straight up, since your knees are coming forward so are your hips. This causes you to lose tension in your hamstrings and lower their ability to assist in the lift. Here is my squat from Sunday, second set is best, last couple reps weren't so great unfortunately. But you can see in that second set on just about every rep I go down and as soon as I hit bottom my knees are just about stationary and their first motion as I go back up is BACK. I'm lifting my ass at the same time to maintain tension in my hamstrings (which are still sore today btw :o). Skip to 0:43, these reps looked good. Skip to 1:30, these reps looked more like what you are doing and what I am trying to correct myself.

Jvr-7VDYmhs

One thing that helps me is to imagine pushing back from the floor through my heels like you were pushing yourself backward in a rolling office chair.

[Imahorsymoo]

Looking good bro, keep it up. Kinda jelly about the number of people posting in your log.

[Cruz902]

One thing you are doing that I have been struggling with myself is your knees are coming forward at the bottom of the rep. So while it might feel like you are driving your ass straight up, since your knees are coming forward so are your hips. This causes you to lose tension in your hamstrings and lower their ability to assist in the lift. Here is my squat from Sunday, second set is best, last couple reps weren't so great unfortunately. But you can see in that second set on just about every rep I go down and as soon as I hit bottom my knees are just about stationary and their first motion as I go back up is BACK. I'm lifting my ass at the same time to maintain tension in my hamstrings (which are still sore today btw :o). Skip to 0:43, these reps looked good. Skip to 1:30, these reps looked more like what you are doing and what I am trying to correct myself.

Jvr-7VDYmhs

One thing that helps me is to imagine pushing back from the floor through my heels like you were pushing yourself backward in a rolling office chair.

interdasting. i definitely see the difference now that you pointed it out. what exactly is the fix for this? do I simply focus on keeping my knees in and allow the hip drive to work itself up? do i keep my knees out farther?

*edit*
reread your post on angling toes farther out and saw the comment on pushing back from floor through heels. are these the only things i can do to help with it? P.S. i forgot to angle them out more when I got to the gym today, so pretty sure my squats will look like sht again :(

[Cruz902]

Wednesday, August 18, 2011
Day 8 - Workout B

Squat
3x5x170 / 77~ kg
Overhead Press
3x5x85 / 39~ kg
Power Cleans
XxXx45 / 20~ kg

m3gso7grD1g

Notes
Decided to do a complete reset today for my cleans and focus on form. It's still sht just with the bar, so I'm gonna go browse the oly section and read its part in the SS book. Also, I noticed I'm swinging the bar out of vertical path while coming back down with my OHPs. Depth on squat is still pretty sht and I gotta work on that hip and heel drive next time as well. Did 15 minutes of biking after the gym and quite a bit of foam rolling and static stretching post workout. feelsgodman.jpg

Sleep - 8 hours the previous night
Hydration - Adequate
Supplements Taken - 1 multivitamin, 1 fish oil capsules, whey powder
Supplements Skipped - 2 fish oil capsules (taken with next meals)

[nainchik]

Lifts getting stronger! :) I am left behind completely.

I might be wrong, but you're doing a hang clean instead.

[Cruz902]

Lifts getting stronger! :) I am left behind completely.

I might be wrong, but you're doing a hang clean instead.

Yeah, my friend recorded a set of me doing hang cleans. We really need help on that particular part of the power clean, so we were focusing on it today. Thanks for the kind words btw :)

[UngeneticAzn]

Where dem updates!

[PeterGibbons316]

Where dem updates!Dude. Multiply your goals by 1.5. December 15th is nearly 4 months away, YOU CAN DO IT! I'm subbing to your journal...

P.S. - Cruz, do you even lift??? :p

[johnblythe]

Dude. Multiply your goals by 1.5. December 15th is nearly 4 months away, YOU CAN DO IT! I'm subbing to your journal...

definitely agree

[johnblythe]

where you been??

[UngeneticAzn]

Doesn't look like he's been on since the 18th of August...maybe on vacation?