Another Rippetoe Starting Strength Journal

[Sandguy]

I've been browsing and making the occasional post on here for a while. My lifting experience consists of about 2 months out of my 20 years of life. One month of lifting was w/o having a clue as to what I was doing(Arms, Chest, and Back is about all...no legs). My membership at the college gym ran out so that's why I stopped, and had no workout equipment at home. Then about 6 months after that I lifted for another month, had a good bodypart split workout program going, but just lost the motivation. About 3 weeks ago, I finally picked up the weights again, after not touching one in 10 months. I started w/ Rippetoe's Starting Strength program the first week, then switched to a bodypart split for my 2nd and 3rd week, because I wanted to work my arms more. I've decided to stick to Rippetoe's program for a few months and get everything stronger before switching to anything else again.

As you probably already know, the workout routine goes:

Monday- Workout A

Wednesday- Workout B

Friday- Workout A

Then week 2 would go with Workout B on Monday, Workout A on Wednesday, and Workout B on Friday....and so on....

Workout A:

3x5 Squats
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift
2x8 Dips

Workout B:

3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing Military Press
3x5 Pendlay or Bent Rows
2x8 Chinups

I've been using DBs for all presses since my left side is stronger than my right side due to bowling for almost my whole life; I'm left handed. Also I just read over the program again and realized I was supposed to do the same weight for all 3 sets for all exercises...oops...hafta start doing that next workout...

My heaviest sets from when I started on 12/3/06 were:

Squats-135x5
BB Bench-115x5(not sure why I did BB)
Deadlift-135x5
Dips-BWx8-these were tough

Granted...I was still getting used to what I could lift, but I'm making good progress...

[Sandguy]

My workout today went from 5:30-6:03PM. My first day back on Starting Strength since my first week lifting again.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
75x10
95x10

155x5
185x5
205x5

DB Bench-
40x5
46x5
50x5

Deadlift-
215x5

Dips-
BWx8
BWx10(just decided to do a couple more)

Legs were a little sore from previous workouts, but started feeling good once I started. My chest is one of my weak points, especially on my right side. The 50lbs was too heavy I think, felt my shoulder muscles working to lift it along w/ my chest. The dips were great. I'm doing bench dips since it's the only way I can do dips at home. They were pretty easy..I'll add weight next workout.

Anyone have any tips on how to keep my shoulders from helping me lift the weight on DB presses?

[Jorday]

Good workout man, and good luck with the program.

[Sandguy]

Thanks man!

My workout today went from 11:11-11:44AM. I did it early because I know I wouldn't feel like lifting after eating Christmas dinner.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
115x8
135x8

195x5(3 sets)

Seated DB Press-

30x5(1 set-hadn't done these forever..trying to get a feel for the right weight)
35x5(2 sets)
35x4(right shoulder wouldn't push anymore on final rep)

Bent over BB Row-

115x5(3 sets)

Chinups

BWx7(1 set-tried to use this big beam that runs across the basement to do them on so couldn't wrap my fingers around it, fingers started hurting...)

Pretty good workout overall. My legs still hurt some from Saturday's workout but felt better as I started warming up. Shoulder press wasn't too great...I'm always mad when I can't do as many reps w/ my right side...oh well...guess that's why I'm using DBs. I'm also doing seated press so I can keep better form. Bent Rows went well. Chinups went alright...making a chinup bar tonight so my fingers won't get hurt doing them.

Merry Christmas everyone...remember what the holiday is really about...not presents!

[Sandguy]

My workout today went from 8:05-8:40AM.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
115x8
135x8

200x5x3

DB Bench-
43x5x3

Deadlift-
225x5

Dips-
BW+10x8
BW+10x6

Pulled an all nighter last night...sleep schedule is all messed up from staying up a couple nights ago playing 360. I didn't think today was going to go very well, but it went alright. Squats felt pretty good once I got warmed up. I feel like I'm still using my shoulder too much on my right side doing DB Bench though. Deadlift went great...I locked out a little too much on the 4th rep...had to take a step back w/ each foot to not fall over. Dips went ok...

[Sandguy]

Been busy...a little late posting yesterdays workout...it went from 7:40-8:08PM.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
115x8
135x8

205x5x3

Seated DB Press-

35x5x3

Bent over DB Row-

60x5x3

Chinups

BWx7(still no chinup bar)

Everything went pretty well today...the last rep on the seated DB presses was really tough...had to use a little body english to lift it on my right side...I started keeping the DB's about where the bar would be at when doing military presses since my right shoulder started hurting. It doesn't hurt doing them that way. I used DB's today for my bent rows...I can feel it working my back a lot more than using a BB.

[saloman]

Originally Posted by Sandguy

Anyone have any tips on how to keep my shoulders from helping me lift the weight on DB presses?

I don't know if its possible since you are going to draw your arms in closer at the top. I'd go ahead and use barbells if you can, and just use the weight you're comfortable with. Your weaker arm will catch up quickly.
If you can't do that, then what I've found is if I focus mentally on using my chest to lift the weight, I feel it work the muscle better than if I just lift without thinking about it. I guess my body naturally wants to lift with my arm rather than my chest. Don't know if that helps or not - I'm fairly new at this too

[Sandguy]

My workout today went from 8:05-8:42PM.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
135x8
155x8

210x5x3

DB Bench-
45x5x3

Deadlift-
235x5

Dips-
BW+25x8
BW+25x3

Not too bad of a workout today..legs hurt before and during squat warmups but started feeling better once I got started on the worksets. DB bench was better today...felt like I was using more of my chest(thanks for the advice saloman). I'm going to start switching between inclines and flat bench starting the next workout A, since my upper chest is so weak. Deadlift was so hard to do...I got all 5 reps though...good form. The dips didn't go as well as I hoped, I'll do a little less weight next time. Have a safe and happy New Year everyone!

[Sandguy]

Today's workout went from 2:05-2:36PM.

Squats(at parallel)-

Warmup:
135x8
165x8

215x5x3

Seated DB Press-

35x5x3

Bent over DB Row-

70x5x3

Chinups

BWx7(still no chinup bar)

Great workout today..felt like I could've done some more weight on the squats and DB presses. The squats may have felt lighter because I only went to parallel today(no spotter). It was good to see improvement in shoulder press since I've been stuck at doing 35's for a little while. Since everything was feeling light I decided to try 70's for bent over rows...I did them all but form was off a little...I'll go with 65's next time. Still no chin up bar...hope everyone's New Years was a good one!

[saloman]

good job, nice workout

[Sandguy]

thanks man!

[Sandguy]

My workout today went from 12:10-12:43PM.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
135x8
165x8

220x5x3

Incline DB Bench-
48x5x2
48x4(almost, finished the 5th rep but got halfway up and couldn't)

Deadlift-
245x5

Dips-
BW+10x6
BW+10x6

Legs were still pretty sore from Tuesday's workout, squats went well though. Had a spotter so I went below parallel. After I finished the 3 sets, the outside of my quads felt like they were on fire! The bar ended up being tilted a little to the left off my back at the bottom of the squat on the first set, it straightened out once I came back up. It was better on the 2nd and 3rd sets. Not sure why it was off to the left..it's happened a couple times in the past but it's always tilted off to the right...weird. It's always happened at the bottom of the squat. Incline went ok...got halfway up on the 5th rep of the 3rd set with my right side, but couldn't get past that point. Deadlift was pretty good. I got a lot more of a burn in my left arm doing dips and felt like I was working that arm A LOT more. I'm going to substitute decline DB skullcrushers for dips I think, so I'm not working my left arm more. Any advice, comments, concerns, or just stopping by to BS is welcome.

[rebs924]

your squats are getting pretty heavy..how come u switched to incline dumbell press rather then regular db press?

[Sandguy]

I'm alternating flat and incline bench each time I do workout A...I'm doing that because I don't have much muscle in my upper chest...I just put a progress pic up in bodyspace too....

[impr]

Nice man! Keep up the good work. One thing you may want to try is doing since you have trouble with your chest is to do incline or DB press go do an exercise or two and come back to do the other press. That is what I had to do when I first started (oh man that was when I got sore like none other )Anyway keep trucking you'll get there.

Also a tip for helping your shoulder problem during chest. I too have kinda bad shoulders and I found that if I roll my shoulders back (like you are puffing out your chest) and arch my back a little it helps. This takes more weight of the shoulder and applies it to the chest. However this has been my experience and I have told a couple of my friends to do it and they agreed it helped. Some food for thought.

Your deadlifts are really good man I can't do that yet! Keep up the work

[Sandguy]

Thanks for the advice man...I actually tried puffing out my chest and pulling my shoulders back last bench workout actually...I felt like I was working my chest a lot more...thanks for the advice and looking at my journal...

[Sandguy]

Today's workout went from 5:47-6:19PM.

Squats(below parallel)-

Warmup:
155x8
175x8

230x3x5

Seated DB Press-

40x3x5

Bent over DB Row-

65x3x5

Chinups

BWx6(still no chinup bar...had about 6 7/8 reps but not quite 7

Awesome workout today! I planned on taking the day off and working out tomorrow since my legs were really sore but decided to hit the weights, since I had a lot more to eat today than I usually do. Squats were great! I decided to try 230, and I didn't have as much trouble w/ it as I thought I would. I did more weight on the warmups than I usually do to try and get the soreness out of my legs before moving onto the worksets. Shoulder press was great too! It was nice getting away from those 35's. Starting last time doing shoulder presses, I lifted the DB's from straight out to my sides, instead of starting them out from the position where you would have the bar on military presses. My shoulder no longer hurts when pushing the DB's up from straight out to my sides. I had way too much ROM before so that's why it was hurting. I still might be bringing the DB's a little lower than I should, but it's not hurting so I'm not too worried. My DB rows didn't go as well as I'd hoped. I got through them ok, but I'm going to bring the weight back down to 60's and go from there, due to my right side being so weak. Still no chinup bar, I was so close to having 7 reps but couldn't pull myself up anymore. All in all, a solid workout....

[saloman]

nice job sandguy

Are you doing 5 sets of 3 reps?

[Sandguy]

Thanks bro...nope...I'm doing 5 reps for 3 sets

[saloman]

Originally Posted by Sandguy

Thanks bro...nope...I'm doing 5 reps for 3 sets

okay just checking you reversed the way its recorded in the program so it had me curious is all.

[Sandguy]

Lol...thanks for pointing that out...I didn't even notice.

[Sandguy]

My workout today went from 6:42-7:26AM.

Squats(parallel, no spotter)-

Warmup:
8x165
8x185

3x5x235

Flat DB Bench-

3x5x50

Deadlift-

5x250

Dips-

2x8xBW+10

Decline DB Tricep Extension-

8x20
4x20(ran out of steam)

Deadlift

300x1(pissed off because of water spilling and knocking over boxes, so just tried for the hell of it)

Great workout today! It took a lot longer than usual though. I put a couple 5lb plates on some boxes we had stacked by where I workout and what do you know...they fell! So I had to pick that up, plus I knocked over my glass of water I was drinking between sets. So yea...cleaning up those messes took a little time. I think I'm going to go buy a belt for my worksets on squats and deads sometime soon. No spotter on squats so went to parallel. I was tired after these so I might throw in some cardio sometime so I don't get so winded down the road, may or may not increase weight next workout. Flat DB bench press went well..I'll increase weight next time. Deadlifts also went well, I'll increase weight next time also. Dips were good. I decided to throw in some decline tricep extensions to get some more work on my tris. I was pissed after spilling the water and knocking over the boxes so I decided to try and deadlift all the weight I had to put on the bar(255+bar=300lbs). It was pretty tough but was easier than I thought it would be. I was just happy have done all the plates, it's been one of my goals. I was busy today working all day, after lifting. My body is so sore now, especially my legs, I'm dreading tomorrow.

[saloman]

Sandguy, are you working out every other day? I've been doing just three days per week on the same program. I due Tues./Thurs/Sat. so I get a two day rest and then back on the cycle.

[Sandguy]

Yep...every other day...I'm planning on taking that extra day off if I get too sore though...

[saloman]

Originally Posted by Sandguy

Yep...every other day...I'm planning on taking that extra day off if I get too sore though...

Have you asked Kethnaab about that?
My guess is that he will tell you to take the 2 days off to recover if you want to grow more.

[Sandguy]

Nope, I haven't asked him...I'm just playing it by feel if I need a day off or not...I don't feel like I've been overtraining. I'm going to take the day off tomorrow for sure, after all the working I've done the past couple days, I don't feel like my muscles will be ready. As far as growing goes, I'm very happy w/ the gains I've made so far, and my eating isn't helping me out w/ growing at all. I've been right around the same weight since I started. I don't eat near enough food to grow, let alone maximize my gains...

[kethnaab]

Originally Posted by saloman

Have you asked Kethnaab about that?
My guess is that he will tell you to take the 2 days off to recover if you want to grow more.

I bet kethnaab would agree with saloman.

[saloman]

Originally Posted by kethnaab

I bet kethnaab would agree with saloman.

Wow, I didn't expect you to show up

[Sandguy]

I'll start trying it w/ 2 days of rest every week...going to go w/ a Sun/Tues/Thurs split...any other suggestions Kethnaab? I want to add some hammer curls and tricep extensions in...would Thursday be the day to do these? Thank you both for posting...

[saloman]

dude, your workout journal was cool before, but now that kethnaab posted in it, its even better