Bluebirds, Butterflies, and Barbells - A Starting Strength Journal

[chazzy1864]

I was reading your squat numbers and thinking it was deadlift and was like "Those are PRs for you? "

Then I scrolled and saw deadlift (and then reread squat properly) and I felt emasculated.

[GinjaNinja85]

x2 on the 450x3. Phenomenally strong squats though!

[ngolsen]

reset back to 440 or less and work back up. you had the strength there to hit 460x3 but your knees came in and your hips shot back. was a form breakdown not a strength one. Make sure you are forcing your knees out during the whole ROM on your hips will go back like that and you will create too big a lever for your lower back. get your hips under the bar, not behind it. good cues are knees out and elbows forward.

shake it off and slam 440 x5

[dk240t]

reset back to 440 or less and work back up. you had the strength there to hit 460x3 but your knees came in and your hips shot back. was a form breakdown not a strength one. Make sure you are forcing your knees out during the whole ROM on your hips will go back like that and you will create too big a lever for your lower back. get your hips under the bar, not behind it. good cues are knees out and elbows forward.

shake it off and slam 440 x5

That's what I was thinking. All these little screw ups and failed weights - probably should just drop back in weight and try sets of 5 again and work your way back up. Its ok to take a step back to help you power forward...don't have to beat your head against the wall. My form always clicks a lot better when I drop back down in weight and work my way back up - when I do the top weight again, it always ends up looking better.

[ngolsen]

That's what I was thinking. All these little screw ups and failed weights - probably should just drop back in weight and try sets of 5 again and work your way back up. Its ok to take a step back to help you power forward...don't have to beat your head against the wall. My form always clicks a lot better when I drop back down in weight and work my way back up - when I do the top weight again, it always ends up looking better.

dropping weight doesnt fix form because near maximal it will always break down the same way. But yes, in regards to the TM concept of Intensity day he does need to go back to heavy 5's. Start about 15-20 less than what you think is your 5RM and get momentum happening.

[jshaw5]

Even with the miss you still hit 3 heavy ass squat reps.

This. You had 450x3 if you hadn't messed up the weight. Not too long ago, you were racing the gorilla to a 450 lb single I fully support a reset so I can bridge the gap between us haha. Seriously though, a reset is probably a good idea. I was actually thinking that I might do a reset myself very soon as well.

[GinjaNinja85]

Everyone's torn between 5s and 3s. In actual fact, you could just go 455x2, or even 450x2x2. The possibilities are endless. It doesn't matter too much. PR is a PR and that's what ID is all about isn't it?

But going on what the TM book says, you should try doubles and singles before reverting to 5s. Personally, I think you still have some progress on triples in you. You've just been ill so things have felt tougher, that's probably all.

[ngolsen]

Everyone's torn between 5s and 3s. In actual fact, you could just go 455x2, or even 450x2x2. The possibilities are endless. It doesn't matter too much. PR is a PR and that's what ID is all about isn't it?

But going on what the TM book says, you should try doubles and singles before reverting to 5s. Personally, I think you still have some progress on triples in you. You've just been ill so things have felt tougher, that's probably all.

ID still needs some volume to inspire growth... Need at least 3-5 reps in total. I was more talking about the form breakdown as for a reason to drop it back some and start with 5s. But its all about learning and growing. Either way is fine. 450x2x2 next week? 450x3? 430x5? my preference is 430x5 because you get more volume and will drive more growth....

[Juggernaut0]

Awesome work.

450x3 next week plz!

[HunterMC6]

weren't you sick not to long ago? If that is the case I think you shouldn't be to worried about failing on that workout. Dropping the weight back wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, but I don't know the protocalls of TM. Plenty of good ideas posted in here though.

[dk240t]

I don't think you'll go wrong with either 450x3 or 430x5?

[PeterGibbons316]

Thanks guys. I'll stick with 450x3. If I miss again I'll consider a deload, but I would really like to stick to triples over 5s.

[400Lb Gorilla]

doubles are nice but the triples are probably better for strength

[The Shoeless Wonder]

you can squat more than you dl?

[chazzy1864]

doubles are nice but the triples are probably better for strength

F*ck triples in their stupid asses.

Triples are for when I'm feeling weak and too intimidated to man up and do a double.



Srs.

[The Shoeless Wonder]

F*ck triples in their stupid asses.

Triples are for when I'm feeling weak and too intimidated to man up and do a double.



Srs.

that must be all the time

[chazzy1864]

that must be all the time

Duhhhhh.

why do you think there are so many triples in my routine?

[Sinaku5]

I was reading your squat numbers and thinking it was deadlift and was like "Those are PRs for you? "

Then I scrolled and saw deadlift (and then reread squat properly) and I felt emasculated.

A feeling that we have all felt while reading Peters log...

Iknowthatfeelbro.jpg

[PeterGibbons316]

you can squat more than you dl?

No, I cannot, but my squat worksets are currently higher than my deadlift worksets. Deloaded my deadlift to work on keeping my back straighter when I pull. Hit 505x3 a few weeks back, but back was rounding so I dropped back quite a bit.

[PeterGibbons316]

Texas Method - Week 22 Volume
BW: 224.8

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

Squat
45x5
45x5
155x5
245x3
340x2
395x5
395x5
395x5 (vid)
395x5
395x5 (vid)

So for the past year and a half I have been rolling the bar to the back of the J-hooks on my rack when unracking. I noticed recently that this required my toes to touch the base of the rack and the bar isn't quite centered over my feet, and when I unrack the bar it moves just a tad - just enough to have been tweaking my elbow again I think. So for the first time today I tried rolling the bar forward to the front of the hooks when unracking and it is absolutely ridiculous how much easier this made my sets.

Was trying to focus on keeping the elbows down, everything tight, and knees out. Wasn't perfect, but most reps on my last set looked pretty good considering the weight. This was tough, I'll have to see what fatigue is like this week before deciding to increase the weight or not for next week.

Bench Press
45x5
45x5
105x5
155x3
205x2
225x5
225x5
225x5
225x5 (vid)
225x10 (vid)

Forgot my elbow sleeves for the first 4 sets, put them on for the last one and I think I like them. Bench strength is coming back quite nicely.

DE Deadlifts
95x3
205x2
255x1(x8)

One rep as fast as possible every 30 seconds for 8 total reps. Was running out of time so I lowered the weight a bit from last week and did half as many reps with half as much rest between sets.

Vid:



Notes:
Good day today. Chest will be sore tomorrow.

[The Shoeless Wonder]

i bet if you cut, youd be a sexy motherfker

[jshaw5]

Nice squats, so close to 4 plates for VD Awesome benching too man, 10 reps like it was nothing. I can't remember, where was your bench at before the shoulder issue?

What kind of elbow sleeves are those? How do they feel? Do you keep them on between sets? I got a pair of small TK knee sleeves, which they say you can use as elbow sleeves. I think they are a bit too thick for elbow sleeves though. First, they are a pita to get on and I have to wear them inside out (rubbery side out). Sometimes between sets they feel too tight on my forearms, especially when I bend my elbows. I'd take them off between sets, that would be a huge pain, especially during a volume session.

[PeterGibbons316]

Nice squats, so close to 4 plates for VD Awesome benching too man, 10 reps like it was nothing. I can't remember, where was your bench at before the shoulder issue?

What kind of elbow sleeves are those? How do they feel? Do you keep them on between sets? I got a pair of small TK knee sleeves, which they say you can use as elbow sleeves. I think they are a bit too thick for elbow sleeves though. First, they are a pita to get on and I have to wear them inside out (rubbery side out). Sometimes between sets they feel too tight on my forearms, especially when I bend my elbows. I'd take them off between sets, that would be a huge pain, especially during a volume session.

I think my best bench was like a 280 or 285x5, my best per the calculator was 255x10 while on 5/3/1. I'm not quite there yet, but getting closer every week.

I got the sleeves here: http://www.flexcart.com/members/elit...d=481&pid=3015

They are too tight to keep on between sets - at least right now. I think that if I break them in a little they will be better. They come on and off very easily. Also, my new Rehband knee sleeves are the same way - super easy to get on and off. Makes me think they aren't helping as much as my old TK ones, but they certainly feel just as good - win.

[GinjaNinja85]

225x10 on bench is so strong already. It's crazy how fast you can get back to decent numbers from starting light. I'm definitely starting nice and light once my cuff is healed.

[Sinaku5]

225x10 on bench is so strong already. It's crazy how fast you can get back to decent numbers from starting light. I'm definitely starting nice and light once my cuff is healed.

This Peter.

And Ginja you'll have your strength back in no time.

[Juggernaut0]

4 plate volume day soon? Wut.

Not fair.

Nice work.

[HunterMC6]

You squats are always so solid, when will it be my turn!

[PeterGibbons316]

Texas Method - Week 22 Light Day
BW: 226.0 lbs.

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

Squat
45x5
45x5
155x5
225x3
255x2
315x5
315x5

Wasn't nearly as sore doing these today compared to last week.

Press
45x5
45x5
95x5
115x5
115x5
115x5

No issues.

Captains of Crush - Grip Training
Tx1/1/1/1/1
#1x6/6/6
#1.5x5
#1.5x5
#1.5x5
#1.5x1, 10s hold

This was awesome. Grip was feeling really strong today for some reason so I busted out my #1.5's and was able to do just about as much as I was doing with the #1 just a few weeks ago. Gonna try to get up to a 3x8 before switching to the #2.

Vid:

No vid today.

Notes:
So we have been trying to sell our house for 2 or 3 months now, and kept getting feedback from all our showings about the carpet. Today we finally had all the carpet in the house replaced. It smells like a carpet store in here. The reason I bring it up is because getting the carpet replaced means that everything in your house that is resting on carpet needs to be moved somewhere that doesn't have carpet. So I spent all last night moving furniture, and then moved it all back tonight before my workout. My back will be sore tomorrow.

Also, I have to apologize to those of you that keep journals that I follow as I just haven't had time to do much posting recently. I'm trying not to post while I'm at work anymore which has really helped my productivity (obviously), and then just don't have much time in the evenings due to the whole selling/building a house thing. I'll do what I can to make my rounds more frequently though.

[MatTheCur]

Texas Method - Week 22 Light Day
BW: 226.0 lbs.

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

Squat
45x5
45x5
155x5
225x3
255x2
315x5
315x5

Wasn't nearly as sore doing these today compared to last week.

Press
45x5
45x5
95x5
115x5
115x5
115x5

No issues.

Captains of Crush - Grip Training
Tx1/1/1/1/1
#1x6/6/6
#1.5x5
#1.5x5
#1.5x5
#1.5x1, 10s hold

This was awesome. Grip was feeling really strong today for some reason so I busted out my #1.5's and was able to do just about as much as I was doing with the #1 just a few weeks ago. Gonna try to get up to a 3x8 before switching to the #2.

Vid:

No vid today.

Notes:
So we have been trying to sell our house for 2 or 3 months now, and kept getting feedback from all our showings about the carpet. Today we finally had all the carpet in the house replaced. It smells like a carpet store in here. The reason I bring it up is because getting the carpet replaced means that everything in your house that is resting on carpet needs to be moved somewhere that doesn't have carpet. So I spent all last night moving furniture, and then moved it all back tonight before my workout. My back will be sore tomorrow.

Also, I have to apologize to those of you that keep journals that I follow as I just haven't had time to do much posting recently. I'm trying not to post while I'm at work anymore which has really helped my productivity (obviously), and then just don't have much time in the evenings due to the whole selling/building a house thing. I'll do what I can to make my rounds more frequently though.

Nice light day... Of 3 plates. I can dream... Can't I?

In my case, I have a new journal, linked in ze sig. Good call on dropping bb.com at work; I'm considering the same thing.

[adamdavidson47]

Checking in, still strong as fark I see. Good luck with the house, I dread the day we sell ours and I have to fix things that have had a blind eye turned to them over the years.

Side note/question: You still using the platinum series stuff? I just bought some vanilla and chocolate protogen, and while not quite as good as the cookies and cream, the vanilla is pretty damn awesome. Choco isn't bad either.