Yes, another starting strength Journal?

[stuck185]

There is no big mystery to what is going on here. I will be starting Mark Ripptone?s starting strength routine. I am not a 15 year old kid who has never lifted before. So this may be an odd pick for me. But I have had mixed feelings about the routine now (Upper Body Push day, Pull days, Legs day, one day off, repeat cycle). I honestly just want to keep things simple. I like this routine more and more as I think about it. And I am really pumped to do cleans again. Finally, something I can do well!

The adjustments I am making are simple and few. First, I will not be limiting myself to 3 days a week. I am just going to try to lift every other day. I like the flexibility in my schedule. And, I think the end result will probably end up being 3 days a week anyway. Also I may do some snatches instead of cleans one day a week. I think they are much more fun! And they might be a needed break from too much heavy pulling. And I am going to be doing my own core routine. I think its solid and shouldn?t be messed with. But that?s pretty much it for changes. (? for now at least)

So tonight is my first day. I am going to head to the gym right from work and try not to make too much of a fool of myself. But I think last weeks fart/deadlift episode may have done that already. Numbers and probably a funny story to follow. Wish me luck


Later,
Maki



P.S.- I had a CRAZY weekend, and not in a good way. I will be posting a new blog about it soon. Check it out if you get a chance!

[stuck185]

OK, so I didn't get a chance to go in Monday. Sarah (my wife) had the night off and cooked dinner. After dinner we went out to get my mother?s birthday present. What a mess that turned out to be. By the time we were done I was beat and I still had to get ready for work the next day. So I skipped the gym and went in last night (Tuesday) instead.

I really enjoyed the work out. I felt good about my form on the squat. I need to work on my bench press technique. And I am really doubting myself on the deadlifts ever since the fart incident on Friday. But I am confident this is going to work well for me. Since it was my first day I spent most of the time playing around with weights. Below are the weights I am planning on going with...

Back Squat: 190 lb
Bench Press: 175 lb
Deadlift: 225 lb

... I am a little embarrassed about the squat weight. But when I moved up to 195 I started to do a good morning to get up on the 3rd rep. I was able to recover. Also, the 4th and 5th reps of the set were OK. 190 felt a little light. And my legs aren't sore at all right now.

But like I mentioned I had good form. I had a good deep squat. My back was straight. And my knees didn't buckle. Any more weight was too much for me and I would break form. So this is the correct weight for me. It is just a little disappointing.

My short term goal is to work with 225 for 3 sets of 5 before I do my first deload. Also I would like to get my bench press up to 200 lb's. For some reason I don't have any sort of goal for the deadlift. Maybe it has something to do with only doing one set at the end. But I am sure it will grow over time as long as I keep working hard.

I am really pumped for tomorrows work out. I want to go in tonight! I am not too sure what I am going to do tonight. There is a chance of snow. But I would really like to take Daisy (my dog) for a short run. Also Scott and Josh have both tried to get me to head up to LA with them to train. Purple belts can use both locations of the Academy for free. But I honestly don?t want anything to do with the gym right now. I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. So I am going to just stay away for a while. But I need to go. More numbers and updates coming soon.

[stuck185]

so I took Daisy for a run last night. Pretty much as soon as I posted yesterday my legs started to feel a little beat up. The run was good because it loosened up my legs and the dog needed a good run.

But it was bad because it was cold out and now I am starting to feel sick. Stupid mistake! I knew my throat was starting to feel weird. And I knew it was cold last night (it snowed a few hours north of me). But I went out there and huffed and buffed that cold air for 20 plus mintues... dumb...

g2g, be back tomorrow

[stuck185]

Back Squat: 3 x 5 @ 200 lb, felt too easy. But my lower back strength is what is holding me back here.

Military Press: 115 lb, this was my first time doing this work out so I played around with the weight a little bit. I think I ended up settling for 115 because I was spent from the ealier attemps at more weight. We will see next time.

Power Cleans: 185 lb, I started out at 155 and that was way too light. 185 felt a little heavey, the 3rd and 4th sets weren't pretty. It was good to push myself. I ended up dropping down to 135 for the 5th set. My form looked really good on that set. I think I will start with 175 next time.

I feel pretty sick today. I almost didn't come into work at first. I am going to take it easy tonight.

Traps are a little sore, chest as well. Lower back feels drained. I am planning some yoga tomorrow morning and lifting in the evening. Hopefully it will work out. But there is one way to find out.

[stuck185]

If I tell you something, do you promise not to get mad?

I didn't train this weekend...

I know, I feel like **** about it. But, in my defence, I was sick. I had planned to go to yoga saturday morning and lift in the afternoon, but I felt like crap. So i slept in, then I went to work to get a head for the week. But I gota virus on my work computer and I pretty much lost it. I was still feeling sick when I got home so I skipped the gym again. Later that night I started feeling crappy again and stayed in and watched the fights. I woke up feeling really sick. But I got better as the day went on. So I went in tonight (monday night)

Back Squat:
3 x 5 @ 205... Felt a little heavey, I might start here again

Bench Press:
1 x 5 @ 175... too easy
1 x 5 @ 185... felt good
1 x 4 @ 185... With a spot would have been able to get to 5 no problem. This is fine, I think I will start at 185 next time.

Deadlift:
1 x 5 @ 235... way too easy, gonna look at 250 next time


I think I am going to start to do rotator cuff work at the end of my workouts. I am a little scared the military press is going to eat it up.

Feel a little upset I can't go in tomorrow... I am starting to feel like this routine doens't do it for me. but I am only on week two, so I will give it a chance.


later,
Maki

[stuck185]

Sorry... my bad...

So I scrapped the staring strength routine about a month ago. I just didn?t like it. I want to train more than 3 days a week. I need more physical actively than that. Below is my current routine. I probably have another two weeks to do this. At that point my brothers will be home for Christmas. And it will be all about crossfit (oddly enough my whole family does Crossfit). I will probably focus on lowering my BF, and holding the strength I have gained during this time.


MONDAY
Warm up: 5 min run on treadmill
** O.H. Squat: 3 x burn (95, 135, & 185 lb load)
Back Squat: 4 x 5
Barbell Lunge: 4 x 8 each
Abd/Adductor Machines: 3 x 10 each (super set)
Incline Barbell Bench: 4 x 5
DB Shoulder Press: 4 x 8
Tri Push Down: 4 x 8

TUESDAY
Warm up: 5 min run on treadmill
* Bar Complex: 1 x 7 each
Power Clean: 4 x 3
Bent Over Row: 4 x 8
Lat Pull Down: 4 x 8
Seated Row: 4 x 8
DB Bi Curl: 4 x 8

WENDESDAY
Recovery Run, 20 min, easy pace. Followed by static stretches

THURSDAY
Warm up: 5 min run on treadmill
** Front Squat: 3 x burn (95, 135, & 185 lb load)
Back Squat: 4 x 5
Bulgarian Squat: 4 x 8 each
Bench Press: 4 x 5
Incline DB Press: 4 x 8
Dips: 4 x Max
Tri Push Down: 4 x 8
Rotator Cuff Work: w/ small db, 20 each

FRIDAY
Warm up: 5 min run on treadmill
Pull Ups: 3 x max
* Bar Complex: 1 x 7 each
Snatch: 3 x 3
Deadlift: 4 x 5
Shrug: 4 x 8
Up Right Row: 4 x 8
EZ Bar Curl: 4 x 8

SATURDAY
I do a Crossfit Style metabolic conditioning work out. It?s pretty random what I do for an actual workout here. I usually look at what the WOD?s have been for the week and pick one.

SUNDAY
Yoga class with my wife


NOTES:
1. * Bar Complex = Up Right Row, Military Press, O.H. Squat, Front Squat, Good Morning, RDL, Bent Over Row. Done as one big super set.
2. ** Done as a warm up, weights are always the same. I perform as many as I feel comfortable doing with each weight.
3. Progressive overload is managed using a chart system. Each set is a percentage (rounded to the nearest 5 lbs) of the max I can do with good form for the rx?ed number of reps. It is 90% for the first set, 92.5% for the second, 95% for the third and 97.5% for the fourth. So if my max is 100 lbs, then my load would be 90, 95, 95 & 100 lbs. If I can complete the last set easily, move up 5 pounds, repeat until failure. So, the next time I do that lift my load would look like this: 95, 100, 100 & 105 lbs.


I would like to do the following goals

SHORT TERM (in the next few weeks)
Back Squat: 225 for a set of 5 (Current max is 215)
Power Clean: 205 for a triple (Current max is 190)
Flat Bench Press: 205 for a set of 5 (Current max is 185)

LONG TERM (in 2009)
Snatch: 185 for a single (PR is 160)
Bench 225 for a set of 5 (PR is 205)
Deadlift 405 for a single (PR is 315)
Full Clean and Jerk 225 (PR is 210)
Get a six pack


Right now my Diet is probably my weakest link. For the most part I avoid bad fats, processed carbs and sugary drinks. I have been making little changes over time. My biggest problems are my morning coffee, my eating schedule and the holidays. In my coffee use a packaged sweetener. It is only 17 grams of sugar. But will have a bagel or something with it. Also, my schedule is all jacked up. I eat at odd times, often late at night. My biggest problem is right after work. I am so hungry I kind of lose control. I pretty much eat what ever is on front of my face. Also, this being the holiday season, I have had a lot of meals out and big family meals that are bad for me.


P.S.- I will load a new progress pic soon. I know I have put on some weight, and I don't feel fat. But there is only one way to see the difference

[stuck185]

Originally Posted by stuck185

SHORT TERM (in the next few weeks)
Back Squat: 225 for a set of 5 (Current max is 215)
Power Clean: 205 for a triple (Current max is 190)
Flat Bench Press: 205 for a set of 5 (Current max is 185)

Below is my review of the routine I was on for the past 4-5 weeks. I wrote the whole thing out in my last post, see above for the details.

(Q) What was my Goal?
(A) This routine was based around gaining strength. I used power clean, bench press, and back squat as my indicators. I had no physique goals in mind.


(Q) Was I successful?
(A) Yes, no and no. I was able to get myself up to a set of 225, with good form, on the back squat. However, the most I benched for a set of 5 was 195. And the most I cleaned for a triple was 195 as well.

(Q) What went wrong?
(A) A few things
1 - I got fat
2 - I am pretty sure all the BB'ers at my gym talked bad about me because I was oly lifting
3 - I felt soar and beat down all the time on this routine. Working out became work. My lower back had it the worst.
4 - my company went through the ISO 9001 certification process. I was in charge of it for my branch. It was a 2 day audit for me. The audit itself wasn't that bad. It was the weeks leading up to it. 10-12 hour days, even on the weekends. So my training was bad, and diet was worse.
5 - Thanksgiving holiday was also bad for my training and diet.
6 - My cleans felt like ****. They felt way too slow if that makes any sense.
7 - My diet was poor.
8 - I didn't track what I was eating at all, so I can't really look back and see what I may have done wrong. Aside from the cheating/stress eating that is...


(Q) What went well?
(A) A few positive notes!
1 - I greatly improved my back squat form.
2 - I increased my bench and upper body strength in general
3 - I am as strong as I have ever been
4 - For the most part I was able to stick to this routine.

(Q) What did I learn?
(A) I did learn some good lessons here
1 - you can't have your cake and eat it too. Even though my goals were all about strength, I still wanted to look better. I may have increased some muscle, but I got fatr too. I need to focus on one goal at a time.
2 - I need to add more recovery work.
3 - I should not max out on compound lifts 4 times a week
4 - I should only do a exercise if I am at the appropriate facility and have the appropriate equipment... i.e.- no snatches at a BB gym.
5 - I need to add core
6 - I want to add a better warm up
7 - I need to have a plan for my diet.
8 - I need to time my rest periods.

(Q) What are my goals moving forward?
(A) Right now I just want to look good naked. I would also like to find a new gym. I need to find somewhere I can snatch and nobody is going to give a rats ass. I think I may have a good idea. If this doesn't work out I will just start boxing.

(Q) What is my plan to reach those goals?
(A) My current focus of losing fat, and maintaining strength. Followed by a period with a hypertrophy (not strength) focus.

During the fat loss period I am running intervals, crossfitting and minimal lifting. The lifts will probably be on machines when ever possible to save my joints and lower back for the CF's. I am also cleaning up my diet. I know how to eat. its just making myself stick to it. So I think I am going to give that a try before I do anything crazy. And the CF's are a no brainer. Oak is home, so I am going to do them with him while he is home. He goes back on the 31st, so I have plenty of getting my ass kicked coming to me.

(Q) How am I going to incorporate what I learned into my training?
(A)
1 - Add core
2 - Add a recovery run
3 - on the hypertrophy phase, do sets of at least 12, with 1 min rest max.
4 - Do a maximum of 2 max effort days a week.
5 - Do a minimum of 2 interval workouts a week.

Notes:
The strength gains have really improved my crossfit times. I am only slightly behind Oak. And the kid is an animal. (Fran in 3:16...wow!) Also, Zack will be home soon, and Jason and Joey will step up as well. This is going to be a great christmas!