Bluebirds, Butterflies, and Barbells - A Starting Strength Journal

[im2manly]

Can't do farmers walks - no DBs, and no room to really walk anywhere. I'm struggling to understand why they would be better than static holds anyway - at least for grip strength (vs. endurance)

Has to do w/ the josling of the weight simulating many movements that require similar grip strenght...i.e. cleans, dips, rows, etc. anything that moves in the hands. Order olympic dumbbells online...like 40 bucks for 2 handles.

[Farley1324]

Has to do w/ the josling of the weight simulating many movements that require similar grip strenght...i.e. cleans, dips, rows, etc. anything that moves in the hands. Order olympic dumbbells online...like 40 bucks for 2 handles.

I think I shall do this.

[ngolsen]

Mmmmmm... Jostling weight *drool*

[ddog171]

Nice job on the bench. That last rep looked like a killer, especially after hitting the rack on the fourth one.

[PeterGibbons316]

Nice job on the bench. That last rep looked like a killer, especially after hitting the rack on the fourth one.

Thanks! I didn't hit the bottom of the hook, but the side - so it really didn't throw me off at all. I thought about racking after 4, but really wanted that 5th rep to tie my PR. Glad I went for it. It's been a while since I got a grinder like that. feelsgoodman

[liftingson]

Nice Job on the bench, and the rows...still impressive as hell! maybe u mentioned it earlier in the thread, but how much weight are u down?

[PeterGibbons316]

Nice Job on the bench, and the rows...still impressive as hell! maybe u mentioned it earlier in the thread, but how much weight are u down?

I think at my heaviest I was close to 240. Got sick over Christmas and when I started my cut at the beginning of the year was at 232. So I'm down 14 lbs in 16 weeks. Pretty much exactly where I wanted to be.

My birthday is 16 weeks away, hoping to be around 200-205 by then, so I'm about halfway there.

[jshaw5]

Damn another ridiculous workout, plus solid progress on the weight loss front as well. I'm beginning to think you are not human.

[FastCatChamp]

I think at my heaviest I was close to 240. Got sick over Christmas and when I started my cut at the beginning of the year was at 232. So I'm down 14 lbs in 16 weeks. Pretty much exactly where I wanted to be.

My birthday is 16 weeks away, hoping to be around 200-205 by then, so I'm about halfway there.

Perfect pace....as proven by you consistent prowess in the training room.

[PeterGibbons316]

5-3-1, Cycle 5, Week 3, Day 3
BW: 218.2 lbs.

Color code:
Estimated 1RM PR (weight + 0.033 x weight x reps)
PR for reps/weight

Squat
45x5
45x5
175x5
235x5
295x5
335x3
375x5 (vid) PR

Huge PR on these. 375 was the most I ever attempted on SS and could only get 3 reps, so this was pretty nice. I was surprised with how light this felt on my back - most likely due to loading up 605 for those squat lockouts on Monday. After that, this felt pretty light. Also, this set wasn't nearly as difficult as the 355x8 set I had like 4 weeks ago.

Depth is just a hair below parallel, will have to keep an eye on that.

CGBP
45x5
45x5
155x5
185x5
215x3
245x5 (vid)

Lowered the weight, went with a more narrow grip, and tried to keep my elbows tucked to emphasize the triceps more. Probably could have squeezed out a couple more reps, but was happy with 5.

Chin-Ups
220x8
255x7/7/6 PR

Happy with these. Progressing nicely even with the drop in BW.

EZ-Bar Curls
35x5 (DBs)
70x8
100x6/6/6 PR

These were decent, but kind of tweaky on my wrists. I convinced the boss to let me order some oly DB handles, gonna do that as soon as I finish writing this up. Found some decent CAP ones on Amazon that come with what appear to be nicer collars than the spring clips I am using - $45 apiece though

Vid:



Notes:
Couldn't be happier with my results today. I figured I was easily good for the 375x5, but my past two squat days have been pretty weak, and so I was a little worried - but I nailed it.

My Animal Rage came in today so I used that as well. The can said something about taking a small dose the first time to see how your body handles it but since I'm not a ****ing pussy I took the whole pack - felt fine.

[dopamine72]

lol @ even making it to 375 on SS. Crazy gains all around.

375x5 is getting into beast territory bro. Congrats.

[Farley1324]

That's only 5 lbs from my 5 rep PR

[PeterGibbons316]

That's only 5 lbs from my 5 rep PR

Felt like if I had another 5 lbs on the bar I still would have been able to get it - but we won't know for another 3 weeks when I attempt 380 for my 1+ in cycle 6.

Glad I waited to order those DB handles. Total ended up being just $60. Also, my friend that lifts with me (who squatted 2x BW for 8 reps today BTW) was there when I was talking to the wife about them. He felt bad about using my home gym without ever chipping in on the cost and threw in $60 for these - which covered the entire cost. Sweet!

[ddog171]

My Animal Rage came in today so I used that as well. The can said something about taking a small dose the first time to see how your body handles it but since I'm not a ****ing pussy I took the whole pack - felt fine.

This is funny.

Impressive squats, I really cannot imagine 375 feeling light on my back, but relative to 605 I guess it would be. Good job!

[jshaw5]

375x5... I recon you are one strong mofo. Have you ever attempted more than that? I imagine you could get at least a couple with 4 plates.

[PeterGibbons316]

This is funny.

Impressive squats, I really cannot imagine 375 feeling light on my back, but relative to 605 I guess it would be. Good job!

Thanks!

375x5... I recon you are one strong mofo. Have you ever attempted more than that? I imagine you could get at least a couple with 4 plates.

Around Thanksgiving I maxed at 405, my working weight on SS was 350-355 at the time. I recon now I could get it for 2 maybe 3 - maybe. Other than that, 375 is the most I have ever attempted.


Also, didn't take any ibuprofen before lifting today. Back down to twice a day now which is nice.

[jshaw5]

How often did you attempt to max while you were on SS? Did you attempt to max on all the lifts, or just squats? I'm tempted to try to max one of these days to see where I'm at, but I just keep deciding I'm better off just continuing to progress with 5 reps as long as I can.

[Farley1324]

How often did you attempt to max while you were on SS? Did you attempt to max on all the lifts, or just squats? I'm tempted to try to max one of these days to see where I'm at, but I just keep deciding I'm better off just continuing to progress with 5 reps as long as I can.

I think you are deciding correctly.

[PeterGibbons316]

I think you are deciding correctly.

^This

I try to max as infrequently as possible. Typically I would max at a goal/milestone (if even then), when changing programs/changing from bulk to cut or vice versa, or at a meet. I think it is helpful to say "when I started [program], my numbers were...." or "when I started bulking again these were my lifts....."

If you are constantly improving, wasting a training day to max doesn't make much sense because progress in the next session/cycle is going to take you beyond that max anyway and you just lost a day to do it that could have been better spent improving on it. Not to mention, you are far more likely to use bad form and injure yourself during a max attempt. You don't want to get in the habit of maxing regularly and becoming accustomed to that bad from.

That's my thinking on it anyway.

[Woody-5]

Phenomenal squat PR fella!
How much below your actual maxes did you use to calc your 5/3/1 starting numbers?

[Ironlife]

Awesome pr bro, just please be mindful that doing heavy squat lockouts, rackpulls,SLDL and deadlift singles are very taxing on us. I fear squatting close to or above 90% too frequently in addition will burn you out. But you know best what your recovery abilities are, be careful big man

[PeterGibbons316]

Phenomenal squat PR fella!
How much below your actual maxes did you use to calc your 5/3/1 starting numbers?

I followed Jim's recommendation and took 90% of my estimated 1RM as my working max to start the program (except for squat - needed a deload to let my elbow heal up). These numbers were right at my working weights for SS coincidentally. If I could go back and do it again, I probably would have started higher. I was very much accustomed to high frequency, high intensity training - no reason to back off from that really.

Awesome pr bro, just please be mindful that doing heavy squat lockouts, rackpulls,SLDL and deadlift singles are very taxing on us. I fear squatting close to or above 90% too frequently in addition will burn you out. But you know best what your recovery abilities are, be careful big man

Thanks man, I appreciate your concern. I haven't had a deload since Christmas, so if anything feels off I'm going to be quick to take some time and rest up.

[PeterGibbons316]

Hudson DL - Week 2
BW: 219.6 lbs.

Color code:
Estimated 1RM PR (weight + 0.033 x weight x reps)
PR for reps/weight

Deadlift
95x5
95x5
205x5
295x5
385x2
415x1
415x1
415x1 (vid)

Best part about these was getting them DOH with chalk, definitely a PR on the grip front.

SLDL
305x5 (vid) PR
305x5 (vid)

Felt pretty good. Will welcome a week off from these though. I think progressing +10 lbs on these will work since they are only every 2 of 3 weeks.

I do these really slowly. Hard to tell in the vid, but in between reps I am grabbing the bar and actively rounding my upper and lower back as much as I can - getting all the slack out before I begin the pull. I want to be very sure that I don't begin these reps with any sort of jerking motion whatsoever. Only 2 weeks in, but so far so good.....

Rack Pulls
225x5
315x1
365x1
425x1 (vid)
475x1 (vid)
525x1 (vid) PR

Wasn't sure how heavy to go here, and I felt like this was a bit much. I'm debating keeping the weight the same for week 4 or maybe even dropping it a tad - thoughts?

Shrugs
235x25 PR
235x25ish

Lost count on the last set, so I just went until I didn't feel like it anymore. I'm pretty sure I was close to 30 reps. I have a tendency to bend my elbows on these - just out of habit. I think I did better on these. Vids didn't show my traps and the battery died halfway through the second set so I left them out.

DB Front and Rear Raises - Superset
15x10/10/10 (rear) PR
30x10/10/10 (front) PR

Shoulders were fried after these. I struggled to lift my arms for quite a while, but delts are feeling good.

Vid:



Notes:
I'm most excited about my grip from today. Got 415 three times DOH with no straps, that's pretty awesome for me. My 425 rack pull was not too shabby either, but I couldn't hold it for more than half a second.

[Farley1324]

That's a pretty awesome grip/pull for anybody

[pezking7p]

Sweet grip!

On a serious note: I am extremely happy you changed your colors to something that a human can read without UV near-band gamma filtration.

[PeterGibbons316]

That's a pretty awesome grip/pull for anybody

Sweet grip!

Thanks!

Also, I think I mentioned this, but I convinced the wife to let me get some olympic DB handles - should be here Wednesday (Amazon Prime > *). So I can do some farmers walks in addition to my plate pinches to keep working the grip.

On a serious note: I am extremely happy you changed your colors to something that a human can read without UV near-band gamma filtration.

I did that just for you.....and all the other ****s that don't use the black skin.

[400Lb Gorilla]

excellent deadlifts Jason... but then again i expect that from this journal

BTW, i switch back and forth from the black skin to the default skin all the time. i get tired of seeing the white words all the time

[PeterGibbons316]

i get tired of seeing the white words all the time

Racist.

[Ironlife]

Go Jason!

415 DOH? is this real life>? Strong grip man

[liftingson]

nice lifts man! I see your smashin out new PRs still.