jshaw's Starting Strength log

[jshaw5]

You dodged a bullet there

Mirin those squats, good sh!t. Very nice bench triple

When was the last time you pulled conv? Hitting 355x3 is good sh!t being it's not your preferred style.
Why the decision to skip sumo for the week?

Just in the nick of time haha.

Thanks wood man. Squats are just progressing awesomely so far. It was rather depressing to see all those squat gains I made on my last bulk/TM run disappear over the course of my cut. I started my bulk at like 200 lbs squatting 325x5. 16 months later, after my bulk, cut, and reverse diet, I was like 180 lbs squatting 325x5. Sure it's progress, but nowhere near the progress I would hope to make this early in my lifting career. However, my progress so far on this bulk is making me realize that muscle memory really does exist and rebuilding is easier than building. I'm progressing faster this time around, despite being at a lower body weight and gaining weight significantly slower. It's like those gains weren't really lost, but just stored away temporarily.

Even though sumo is my stronger pulling style, my intention is always to work on both. I've been tossing around the idea of alternating weeks, though probably more along the lines of conventional once every 3 weeks. Considering that last week's sumo pulls were the hardest triple I've ever done, I thought it was a perfect time to take a week off. I'm also considering dropping to 5 lbs jumps instead of 10.

[MatTheCur]

I'm still not liking where the bar is resting in your hand, and I think that's all that's missing from your setup, really.

Here's the vid that changed it for me:

[Woody-5]

I hear you on the muscle memory. As soon as I got cals up and started TM my bench came flying back so fast. Squats took a little bit longer to find the groove but they've been coming back quickly too. Dig it!!'

[jshaw5]

I'm still not liking where the bar is resting in your hand, and I think that's all that's missing from your setup, really.

Here's the vid that changed it for me:

[youtube]5Ko8t6ie_K8[youtube]

[video=youtube;5Ko8t6ie_K8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ko8t6ie_K8[video]

I never would've thought it possible for a video on how to grab the bar last over 5 minutes, but I found the video to be incredibly informative. A lot of points hit home. Just like he mentioned in the video, when I'm setting up, I try to bury the bar as deep in my hand as possible, thinking that would get it in the right position. Then I start benching and my wrists are cocked back. When he said how that way is too much pressure on the thumb, it immediately brought me back to my warmups when the base of my thumb was starting to get sore from trying to set the bar so deep. The cue about squeezing the pinkies makes sense too.

I hear you on the muscle memory. As soon as I got cals up and started TM my bench came flying back so fast. Squats took a little bit longer to find the groove but they've been coming back quickly too. Dig it!!'

I'm the opposite, squats are flying back, but bench is having trouble finding a groove. Hopefully sticking to triples does the trick.

[KenshinH]

Nice ID work Josh! TM has been great for your squats as always

[jshaw5]

Nice ID work Josh! TM has been great for your squats as always

Thanks Tuan. Yes, my squats love TM. They also love food lol.

[jshaw5]

Texas Method – Volume Day – Week 10 (Part 1)

Squat
45 lbs x 5 reps
105 lbs x 5 reps
165 lbs x 3 reps
225 lbs x 2 reps
290 lbs x 5 reps x 5
Squats felt real good today. I actually brought my camera today to check out some form tweaks on bench, so I decided to get a nice glute shot lol. That pause on the last rep was tough.

Bench
45 lbs x 10 reps
85 lbs x 5 reps
125 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 2 reps
200 lbs x 5 reps x 5
Worked on gripping the bar properly and fixing my bar path. Still not perfect, but definitely a noticeable improvement in both keeping the bar more over my wrists and keeping my forearms more vertical. Overall everything felt solid, looking forward to seeing how it feels on ID.

I had some "stomach issues" this morning, left me short on time, so rather than rush through everything, I just stuck with squats and bench. I'll do my volume press and some cleans assistance work either tonight or tomorrow morning.

[MatTheCur]

^ setup looked better, definitely, than it has.

I know it feels weird because the bar feels like it's going to fall forward out of your hands in the beginning. But keep at it, setting grip will feel more and more natural.

Also, SUPER glad someone else squats like I do lmao!!

<3 Looked like a good session. Keep it up maing!

[jshaw5]

^ setup looked better, definitely, than it has.

I know it feels weird because the bar feels like it's going to fall forward out of your hands in the beginning. But keep at it, setting grip will feel more and more natural.

Also, SUPER glad someone else squats like I do lmao!!

<3 Looked like a good session. Keep it up maing!

Thanks Matt. That video you posted made a huge difference.

Considering I'm always commenting on how purdy your squats are, I'll take that as a compliment lol. Snapped this from the bottom of the last rep, that angle makes for some awesome pictures.

[MatTheCur]

Thanks Matt. That video you posted made a huge difference.

Considering I'm always commenting on how purdy your squats are, I'll take that as a compliment lol. Snapped this from the bottom of the last rep, that angle makes for some awesome pictures.

Your squats are just as pretty, mon ami! Especially a volume 290? That's some nice depth!!

I'm just (still) glad that you shove your knees out past your feet, like I do. I didn't think I was normal, as most people tend to keep their knees in line with their feet.

Yaay!

[Bumpus]

I agree the set up and work looks much better on the bench.

Do you find that you keep your elbows/shoulders from flaring with the wrist wraps on by extension of having a better grip/control of the bar?

Excellent vid Mat.

[Woody-5]

Nice volume work! Squats looking juicy! Dat paused final rep
Bench looked like a breeze- real smooth!

[BabyOilBrah]

OOO stomach issues and squats, sketchy...

Nice volume work, agree on bench setup looking better. Every time I focus on squeezing the crap (no pun) out of the bar I tend to stay tighter throughout and generate more power. Trouble is I sometimes forget or get tired with higher reps and lose it lol.

[GinjaNinja85]

http://distilleryimage4.ak.instagram.com/f57cecc6b35f11e3a3ba12bdf9a01090_8.jpg[/img]

I read 'stomach issues' and all I can think of is how much photoshop potential this pic has

Solid VD work. I'm gonna follow suit on the bench grip. Nice vid MatTheCur.

[jshaw5]

Your squats are just as pretty, mon ami! Especially a volume 290? That's some nice depth!!

I'm just (still) glad that you shove your knees out past your feet, like I do. I didn't think I was normal, as most people tend to keep their knees in line with their feet.

Yaay!

I shove them out until they won't go out any further haha.

I agree the set up and work looks much better on the bench.

Do you find that you keep your elbows/shoulders from flaring with the wrist wraps on by extension of having a better grip/control of the bar?

Excellent vid Mat.

The wrist wrap help keep the bar directly over the wrist, which definitely helps keeping everything properly in line.

Nice volume work! Squats looking juicy! Dat paused final rep
Bench looked like a breeze- real smooth!

Thanks wood man. Bench definitely felt the best it has in a while, so hopefully my progress will kick into high gear now.

OOO stomach issues and squats, sketchy...

Nice volume work, agree on bench setup looking better. Every time I focus on squeezing the crap (no pun) out of the bar I tend to stay tighter throughout and generate more power. Trouble is I sometimes forget or get tired with higher reps and lose it lol.

Thanks Mike. Yeah, I'm definitely guilty of forgetting my cues in the middle of a set haha.

I read 'stomach issues' and all I can think of is how much photoshop potential this pic has

Solid VD work. I'm gonna follow suit on the bench grip. Nice vid MatTheCur.

ROFL. Thanks man. Yeah that bench video Matt posted was great, makes a lot of sense.

[MatTheCur]

*bows*

I figure if it can help me out, it's bound to help someone else out.

Glad I could be of service!

[howimliving]

I had some "stomach issues" this morning

-or-

[Bumpus]

The wrist wrap help keep the bar directly over the wrist, which definitely helps keeping everything properly in line.

Makes sense, I might have to look into a pair.

[jshaw5]

[IMG]http://i.cubeupload.com/5Ue6dw.gif[IMG]

-or-

[IMG]http://i.cubeupload.com/fJAEG1.gif[IMG]

Haha definitely #2 (no pun intended lol). There's something about the gym, always take a sizable dump when I get there, but round two started brewing during squats, and I couldn't hold off any longer after the 4th set.

[jjeane]

No cleans last weekend?

[jshaw5]

No cleans last weekend?

Nah my back was fried on Saturday and I had a busy weekend, so I took an extra rest day.

[jshaw5]

Texas Method – Intensity Day – Week 10

Warmup
Stationary Cycle – 4 min x 0.25 miles
KS Super Squat Sequence
Band Pull Through – 13/16” band x 12 reps
Terminal Knee Extension – 13/16” band x 20 reps
Pushups – BW x 15 reps
Hammer Curls – 20 lbs x 15 reps
Band Pull Aparts – ¼” band x 20 reps

Squat
45 lbs x 5 reps
105 lbs x 5 reps
165 lbs x 3 reps
225 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 1 rep
305 lbs x 1 rep
345 lbs x 5 reps BW PR
I'm still 45 lbs short of my all time 5RM, but at ~65 lbs lighter, this calculates out to a higher wilks. Pound for pound, this is the strongest my squats have ever been. These were tough af, but I just keep adding weight to the bar and grinding out all my reps

Bench
45 lbs x 10 reps
95 lbs x 5 reps
135 lbs x 3 reps
175 lbs x 2 reps
205 lbs x 1 rep
235 lbs x 3 reps
Last rep was quite a grind, but felt good to finally add weight and hit the same reps as last week.

Deadlift
135 lbs x 5 reps
185 lbs x 3 reps
235 lbs x 2 reps
275 lbs x 1 reps
325 lbs x 1 rep
375 lbs x 1 rep
425 lbs x 1 rep
I wanted three reps, first rep actually felt pretty solid, second rep just wouldn't budge. Disappointed to not get all my reps, but I can't complain too much considering I'm now failing to get multiple reps on a weight that not that long ago I failed to even break off the floor for one rep.

Press
45 lbs x 5 reps
95 lbs x 3 reps
125 lbs x 1 reps
145 lbs x 3 reps
I was pretty beat at this point, didn't think I had a 4th rep in me.

[GinjaNinja85]

Ridiculously strong intensity day. You must get some attention at your gym putting those weights up.

[BabyOilBrah]

bw PR on squats, added weight on bench, and a DL a 4 and a quarter? Yup thats a successful day.

[dk240t]

That's all?

[jshaw5]

Ridiculously strong intensity day. You must get some attention at your gym putting those weights up.

Thanks bro. If nothing else, I'm sure they recognize me as the guy that spends his life in the squat rack lol.

bw PR on squats, added weight on bench, and a DL a 4 and a quarter? Yup thats a successful day.

Thanks Mike, definitely can't complain about today's session.

That's all?

das it mane

[dopamine72]

bw PR on squats, added weight on bench, and a DL a 4 and a quarter? Yup thats a successful day.

This + squat form looks great

[jshaw5]

This + squat form looks great

Thanks bro. Squats have been feeling great and progress has been awesome.

I was looking back at my squats from my first TM run and comparing it to this run. I've gone through 10 weeks of programming so far. On my last TM run, I started at 325 (went for 5, only got 3). I hit 345x5 in week 10, the same as I just hit in week 10 today. However, this run I started 25 lbs lower (300x5 in week 1), and I have yet to miss a rep. Last run I had two instances where I failed to get all my reps and repeated the same weight the following week. What makes it all even more awesome is that I'm still ~20 lbs lighter than I was when I started my last TM run, and while I don't have the data to support this, I can guarantee I gained at least double maybe even triple or more weight than I've gained this time around. My goal is to get my lifts higher than they were at the end of my last bulk, while still keeping my body weight lower than it was when I started my last bulk.

[12ccopeland]

Christ J, too strong man. Super impressive. Still lean af in the abdomen? Looks it from the vid.

[Woody-5]

Fine id work my man! Beautiful squats- killer grind on that fifth rep!
Nice work nailing that bench triple, moving on up now!
Dead looked smooooth