Bluebirds, Butterflies, and Barbells - A Starting Strength Journal

[Farley1324]

335x9 is downright sick bro

That it is.

[Ironlife]

Take this stuff to the main forums, and out of peoples training journals

[PeterGibbons316]

Hope the back is nothing serious!

Nothing serious. It wasn't until I went to bed last night that I realized that my back hadn't bothered me all day. So just a slight tweak that just needed to be slept on I guess.

[PeterGibbons316]

5-3-1, Cycle 4, Week 2, Day 1
BW: 223.2 lbs.

OHP
45x5
45x5
95x5
140x3
160x3
180x4 (vid)

These were going pretty well, then I came off balance just a bit on the 4th rep and had a slight grind. New a 5th rep wasn't there after that, so no PR on these.

Chinup
245x8
245x8
245x8 PR

Finally got my 3x8 on these. Something was clicking on them - maybe just my BW being a few pounds lower made all the difference, dunno. Bumping to 250 for next week.

Incline Press
155x3
175x3
195x6 (vid)

Needed 8 for a PR, and wasn't even close. Shoulder was actually bothering me (medial deltoid maybe? - top outside of arm deep between bicep and tricep) I think from ab wheel on Saturday. That kind of sucks. Might switch to hanging leg raises for a bit, as much as it saddens me.

Deadlift
95x10
205x5
295x3
330x3
385x4 - wanted a hold on the last rep but it slipped just as it was leaving the ground so I did an extra one to get the grip work in
420x7 (vid) PR
385x1 - static hold, 7 sec
385x1 - static hold, 6 sec

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't been this excited about any lift in a long time. I was hoping for 6, and got 7. First rep FLEW off the ground, and I knew right then that I was going to get 7. Feels SO good to see some notable progress on these. Calculator puts my 1RM at 508 on these now - feels right.

Vid:



Notes:
Even though I only got 4 reps on my OHP (3rd time I've gotten 180x4) I'm not that disappointed with it. I got it pretty easily, and my shoulder is kinda screwy, so even though the numbers aren't reflecting it, I feel like I am actually progressing ever so slightly on them.

Deadlift was just incredible today. I'm still pumped and won't be able to get to sleep tonight. So awesome.

[Bumpus]

Nice work!

Gonna have to channel that deadlift energy and get mine moving again.

[Blizzard589]

Strong as fuk, bro. I'm jelly.

[PeterGibbons316]

Nice work!

Gonna have to channel that deadlift energy and get mine moving again.

DO IT!

Strong as fuk, bro. I'm jelly.

feelsgoodman.jpg

Just need to work on keeping strength levels and dropping the body fat.

[ngolsen]

Nice work Jason.

Reckon you could have grinder an 8th

Strapped or mixed grip?

[PeterGibbons316]

Straps. I refuse to use a mixed grip. DOH with chalk on all the 385 sets.

Also, no way in hell could I have gotten an 8th rep without hitching like a Diesel.

[Blizzard589]

Straps. I refuse to use a mixed grip. DOH with chalk on all the 385 sets.

Why?

[PeterGibbons316]

Why?

Even the slightest increased risk of a bicep tear is not worth it to me. If I ever decide to compete I'll probably rethink it, but I would much rather use straps and work my grip independently.

Not incredibly excited about imbalances even though that could be managed by alternating which hand is over/under, and I think it loads the spine a little differently too since one side is a little longer than the other? Could be wrong about that one though.

[dopamine72]

You're a beast bro, nice deads. If you want that SOHP to go up you're gonna have to hit it 2x a week at least. The regular 5-3-1 program is terrible for SOHP. You could keep doing 5-3-1 for everything else but add in a TM style pressing routine. Or just keep the 5-3-1 press day in, but press on the 5-3-1 bench day too. Point is you need to change that.

Why?

You have missed my progress ****er. Where the hell have you been? My journal is first link in sig.

[PeterGibbons316]

5-3-1, Cycle 4, Week 2, Day 1
BW: 223.2 lbs.

OHP
45x5
45x5
95x5
140x3
160x3
180x4 (vid)

These were going pretty well, then I came off balance just a bit on the 4th rep and had a slight grind. New a 5th rep wasn't there after that, so no PR on these.

Chinup
245x8
245x8
245x8 PR

Finally got my 3x8 on these. Something was clicking on them - maybe just my BW being a few pounds lower made all the difference, dunno. Bumping to 250 for next week.

Incline Press
155x3
175x3
195x6 (vid)

Needed 8 for a PR, and wasn't even close. Shoulder was actually bothering me (medial deltoid maybe? - top outside of arm deep between bicep and tricep) I think from ab wheel on Saturday. That kind of sucks. Might switch to hanging leg raises for a bit, as much as it saddens me.

Deadlift
95x10
205x5
295x3
330x3
385x4 - wanted a hold on the last rep but it slipped just as it was leaving the ground so I did an extra one to get the grip work in
420x7 (vid) PR
385x1 - static hold, 7 sec
385x1 - static hold, 6 sec

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't been this excited about any lift in a long time. I was hoping for 6, and got 7. First rep FLEW off the ground, and I knew right then that I was going to get 7. Feels SO good to see some notable progress on these. Calculator puts my 1RM at 508 on these now - feels right.

Vid:



Notes:
Even though I only got 4 reps on my OHP (3rd time I've gotten 180x4) I'm not that disappointed with it. I got it pretty easily, and my shoulder is kinda screwy, so even though the numbers aren't reflecting it, I feel like I am actually progressing ever so slightly on them.

Deadlift was just incredible today. I'm still pumped and won't be able to get to sleep tonight. So awesome.

Page Bump.

[PeterGibbons316]

You're a beast bro, nice deads. If you want that SOHP to go up you're gonna have to hit it 2x a week at least. The regular 5-3-1 program is terrible for SOHP. You could keep doing 5-3-1 for everything else but add in a TM style pressing routine. Or just keep the 5-3-1 press day in, but press on the 5-3-1 bench day too. Point is you need to change that.

Noted.

Need to think on how to do that.....

[Blizzard589]

Even the slightest increased risk of a bicep tear is not worth it to me. If I ever decide to compete I'll probably rethink it, but I would much rather use straps and work my grip independently.

Not incredibly excited about imbalances even though that could be managed by alternating which hand is over/under, and I think it loads the spine a little differently too since one side is a little longer than the other? Could be wrong about that one though.

Intredasting... and very reasonable.

You have missed my progress ****er. Where the hell have you been? My journal is first link in sig.

I haven't seen yours bumped today so I haven't been in it. I did see the beast front squat PR though on YT...

[dopamine72]

Noted.
Need to think on how to do that.....

Just add in SOHP on bench day too or something. After bench of course. Do "volume" then use the press day for a "test" kinda like TM anyways.

Intredasting... and very reasonable.
I haven't seen yours bumped today so I haven't been in it. I did see the beast front squat PR though on YT...

New log bro, old one is locked.

[Blizzard589]

Just add in SOHP on bench day too or something. After bench of course. Do "volume" then use the press day for a "test" kinda like TM anyways.

New log bro, old one is locked.

Gay.

[dopamine72]

Gay.

???

You're gay.

[Farley1324]

Deadlift grip logic seems reasonable enough.

[mjp202]

It looks and sounds like your entire foundation is trembling with every deadlift rep. Your son will be well prepared for his first earthquake. Nice work!

[Ironlife]

Sweet rep out brah at 420! Damn good work there, i have DS challenge of 405 still lingering i should test it out

[pezking7p]

I'm not sure what your week looks like, but is it possible your bench day is interfering with your OHP day? I remember my bench day leaving my triceps very sore for the week.

Beastly deadlifts.

[PeterGibbons316]

It looks and sounds like your entire foundation is trembling with every deadlift rep. Your son will be well prepared for his first earthquake. Nice work!

Sweet rep out brah at 420! Damn good work there, i have DS challenge of 405 still lingering i should test it out

Thanks guys!

I'm not sure what your week looks like, but is it possible your bench day is interfering with your OHP day? I remember my bench day leaving my triceps very sore for the week.

Beastly deadlifts.

Not possible. I typically bench on Thursdays, and OHP isn't for another 4 days on Monday.

[pezking7p]

Not possible. I typically bench on Thursdays, and OHP isn't for another 4 days on Monday.

Well OK then, Captain Recovery.

[MatTheCur]

I appreciate that you're doing all these workouts and getting strong, but I still need those TPS reports by ... 8am tomorrow. Ok? Grreeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaat. Thanks.

[ddog171]

Straps. I refuse to use a mixed grip. DOH with chalk on all the 385 sets.

Also, no way in hell could I have gotten an 8th rep without hitching like a Diesel.

This is impressive. Nice work all around. I could see only pressing once a week taking a toll on the increases in strength gains. Maybe if you added some volume sets aka BBB on your bench day it could help out. Kind of like Dopamine suggested.

[PeterGibbons316]

This is impressive. Nice work all around. I could see only pressing once a week taking a toll on the increases in strength gains. Maybe if you added some volume sets aka BBB on your bench day it could help out. Kind of like Dopamine suggested.

Yeah, that is what I am thinking. Once I am done with everything on Thursday, add 5 sets of OHP. They will be timed though so it should only add like 10 minutes to the workout - not terrible.

[PeterGibbons316]

So I'm in the middle of my first of two weeks off work. Pretty awesome. Last night I oiled one of my barbells and rubbed all the rust off with some steel wool - hopefully the weights come on and off easier now, will know tomorrow for sure. In the process of power washing my deck now so that I can stain it some time in the next couple days. Got some new tires that I'm going to have mounted and balanced, and get an alignment done tomorrow. Getting all kinds of **** done. feelsgoodman.

[liftingson]

deadlifts are strong man, thats one of my favorite lifts. Like Dopamine said, add in some overhead presses after you bench that should help.
two weeks off...thats Heaven. I have 1st week of April off and cannot wait!

[PeterGibbons316]

Thanks man, gonna try some BBB OHP after I bench today. Today I put up a mirror in front of the squat rack: