Hello H&F,

I've been lurking and learning from this forum for a long time. I’m creating this log to increase accountability and improve my training.

My background:
Vital stats: male, 27 years old, 5’10”, 177 lb. Fairly unathletic and weak most of my life. Was skinnyfat leaning towards skinny (generally weighed 160-165).

After college started bro-lifting 2-3 times/week. Eventually added in some running. I felt acceptably “fit” but made no real gains in strength or appearance.

Last fall I attempted a variation of PHAT with a friend for 8 weeks. Here’s my best lifts from that:

• Squat: 5x5x225 lb
• Deadlift: 3x5x205 lb
• Bench: 3x5x165 lb
• OHP: 5x5x95 lb

A year ago I joined a lolcrossfit gym. The programming is largely very good IMO with a significant focus on strength and encouragement to follow your own programming. I also enjoy olytarding, though I suck at it. I’ve gained ~15 lb (from low 160s to high 170s) with a small body fat % gain (currently prob 17-20%) and gotten stronger (obviously had/have untapped noob gains).

I quit my job a month ago and have some time on my hands til I start a new job in January. I’ve been lifting, eating, and sleeping a lot. Here’s my current best lifts, all from the last 3 weeks:

• Squat: 2x5x260 lb
• Deadlift: 1x5x305 lb, 1x3x345 lb
• Bench: 2x5x190 lb
• OHP: 3x5x125 lb
• Power clean: 1x5x175 lb
• Bent over row: 3x5x145 lb

Current Goals and Gameplans

• Strength: 1,000 lb total by June 2015. Initial plan (which I’ve incorporated over the past month) is to attempt 3x5 of the above lifts, Starting Strength style, to see what linear progress I have left. I’ll likely spread the lifts across 5 days/week and work around my gym’s strength programming because I like going to the gym. I also hope to continue doing my gym’s shorter (5-15 min) conditioning workouts 3x/week as I enjoy them and find they improve my mood/thinking. If it seems the conditioning is significantly hindering strength progress I will reconsider.
• Diet: Track macros for first time. My general thoughts are to get stronger and gain some mass this winter (I’m up ~8 lb in past month) and try my first cut for the spring/summer. In the immediate term I’d be happy just tracking consistently. As a side benefit I hope to start cooking for myself, which I’ve never really done before. For my current daily targets I’ve come up with 2800 cal / 300g carb / 90 g fat / 200 g protein.
• Aesthetic: Look like IEL. Obviously subjective. To throw rough numbers out I’ll aim for 175 lb, <14% body fat by summer 2015.
• Mobility/Safety: Uh, increase mobility and avoid injury. Not sure how to quantify this but I’ll continue to stretch and foam roll/lax ball every workout. I’ll be posting form videos on which I’d very much appreciate feedback.

Thanks a lot to whoever read this far! Any feedback/criticism is much appreciated.

I’ll post some noods / form vids soon -- figuring out how to do so.

Good luck!

Form check vids probably the best thing to work on imo.

Thanks Aidan.

Here are some recent videos. Any feedback/criticism is much appreciated, both on the lifts themselves as well as the video angles, etc. I haven't done much of this before.


Bench Press 5x185 lb 11/11/2014.

I don't bench press much so pretty clueless. I will watch So You Think You Can Bench. I thought I was concentrating on getting some arch; surprised that it appears I have none!

Someone told me I should be exhaling sharply throughout the the concentric portion of the lift instead of exhaling sharply at the top -- not sure what thoughts are on that.



Squat 5x260 11/23/2014




Monday 12/01/2014 workout
Bench Press 3x5x195
Barbell Row 1x5x155, 2x5x150
Front Squat 4x3x210

Bench went well; I attempted 195 last week and only managed 3 reps in second set and quit there.

My previous barbell row set had been 3x5x145 which felt easy, so I tried 155 which was harder than expected. I was moving around a bit more than I should. This isn't a lift I've done much of. I will post a form vid net time I do it.

Front squats were fine; felt a bit heavier than I anticipated but all went up. I am sure I have some mobility issues there. Again, will post a form vid.


Tuesday 12/02/2014 workout
Deadlift 1x5x315

Superset... performed an alternating set every 90 sec, so 60-70sec rest between sets
Handstand pushups 5,5,3,3,2
Weighted chinups 5,5,5,4,3 x +25 lb


Deadlift felt fine. Def could have gone heavier but want to make sure form looks ok. Here's the vid. Apologies for the glare in the background. I'm afraid I'm losing tightness between reps -- maybe I should do a full reset on each rep?


Thanks a lot for any thoughts!

Bench Press: It seems somewhat obvious that you don't bench much. You're not driving either on to your feet or onto your traps in your setup, so you're not maintaining much tightness. Brandon Lilly also has some good Bench 101 vids. The other thing I'd not is I'd definitely try and control the bar descent a bit more, especially as it approaches the chest.

General note: breathe at the top of the rep, not during it. i'll allow a tight exhale on particularly tough reps or PRs, but ideally you want to stay as tight as possible completely through the rep, and holding your breath is a big component.

Squats: look pretty good with the tough angle. Your knees come forward a bit much on the later harder reps, so remember to keep shoving them out hard and driving through your heels. nice grinding ability is nice

Deadlifts: you have a bit of an inconsistent starting position, where sometimes your hips are way too low (particularly the 1st, 4th and 5th reps), whereas 2nd and 3rd are alright. They're not too bad, but if you could get your hips to the same height as the 2nd rep for every one they'd be a bit tidier and you'd be able to keep your core a bit more solid. I don't really know or coach the top down setup, so I can't say what to change specifically. Maybe experiment with hips back instead of hips down when you set down to grab the bar, aiming for more hamstring tension.

Thanks very much Aidan. Super helpful. Will incorporate this advice next time and will watch SYTYCB and Brandon Lilly before I bench tomorrow.

Re: Squats -- will improve video angle next time.

Re: DL -- thank you. Inconsistent starting position definitely an issue. Will work on this next time. It also seems to me like my bar path could be straighter -- I seem to be going around my knees on a few reps, esp on the descent. On the descent I think I should be waiting for the bar to pass below my knees (loading the hamstrings) before I start bending them?

Yesterday I messed around with some light-ish oly stuff:
power clean + hang clean + split jerk complex: 4x1x155 lb

Then a bunch of cleans at 135 lb and a few sets of ring dips and barbell curls.

I suck at oly but enjoy it. Not really a priority right now (strength and mass are) -- just something fun for lighter days.

Rest day today. Lifting tomorrow. I continue to eat all of the food. Bulking is fun.

No problem.

Yeah, you're correct about the descent on the DL, hips break first, then knees (ie it is the reverse of the way up). Just try and make every rep look like rep 2 and you'll be fine! Just try and find that sweet spot where everything is tight, you take the slack out of the bar, and then it breaks the floor without your hips having moved until it does.

Toss some oly vids up, I have no clue but Evoken, PoW, AG2 et al are pretty clued in when it comes to those.

I think this applies to every lift really. Just exhale somewhat gradually so that you're at about 25% lung capacity at the finish. It allows you to take a much bigger breath and do a proper valsalva for the next rep.

I started doing this on my squat cleans a long time ago and it completely alleviated light-headedness at the front rack that this lift is notorious for.

And good luck. Aidan's right about your grinding ability. Having that toughness to get through super difficult and slow squats this early in the game is a good sign.

Thanks Evoken.

When you take a breath between reps -- do you exhale fully, e.g. if you finish a rep at 25% lung capacity, to you then fully exhale to ~0% lung capacity? I feel like this may lead to loss of tightness for me. I particularly feel that way on the bench, though that may well be due to other form issues with benching.

Friday 12/05/2014 Workout
Bench press 1x5x200 (PR), 1x3x200, 1x4x200
Bent over Row 2x5x155
Back squats 5x3x260

Then a 17 min metcon of kettlebell swings, box step-ups, sit ups, pull ups.

Bench
I watched SYTYCB and a couple Brandon Lilly vids and tried to work on my setup. It's an improvement (I think) but clearly still has miles to go. I felt tighter. I think I was generating some leg drive (versus almost none before) though you can see my feet moving around on the last reps which I'd think implies a loss of tightness in the lower body/leg drive.

I didn't get the set up right on second set and had no tightness; 3rd set was better and I almost hit my 5 reps but lost a long battle on the 5th rep.

I need to work on controlling bar descent; it was rattling around in my head with all the other stuff but doesn't look like it carried through.

Set 1:


Bent Over Row
My bent over row is atrocious. I don't know how to perform this lift. I will re-read the couple pages on it in Starting Strength and check YouTube for videos. My back appears very rounded in set 1 and I don't keep it stable in set 2.

Set 1:


Set 2:


Squats
My gym programmed 5x3 @ 85% of our 1RM so I decided to do that instead of 3x5. My tested 1RM is 305; 85% is 260 which incidentally is right where I am on my 3x5 sets (best I've is completed 2x5 @ 260). These didn't feel great -- lack of tightness, lack of consistency. Doing them after benching and row didn't help.

I have pain in my right hip flexor that sometimes flares up when I squat. It generally goes away with sufficient stretching and dynamic warm up. It's most bothersome in my bottom position, and my body's instinct is to good morning the weight a bit at the bottom to avoid the pain which is no bueno. Increased focus on targeted warm-up/stretching this next time.

All that said, the weight went up pretty easy and I was never close to failing a rep. I find 5x3 is a lot more forgiving than 3x5

Saturday 12/06/2014 Workout
Deadlift 5x325 (PR)

Tried to work on a consistent starting position and thinking about sending hips back and loading hamstrings.

Nothing felt good today. Significant DOMS from yesterday. Attempted OHP but shoulders sore. Will press tomorrow.

Sunday 12/07/2014 Workout

OHP 3x5x130

Superset:
Pullups 6,6,6
Ring Dips 8,8,8


OHP felt okay. On tough reps I find myself really arching my lower back -- hopefully this isn't dangerous.

I tried to concentrate on engaging my quads and glutes to stabilize my lower body but it seems there's quite a bit of wobbling around. In fact on Set 3 I was so wobbly I tricked the YouTube algos... I got this message: "We detected your video may be shaky. Would you like us to stabilize it?"

As with the other lifts I'm still experimenting on my breathing. It continues to feel like I'm losing tightness when I exhale between reps and I don't get back to my initial level of tightness.

Any thoughts/comments much appreciated as always.

Quite a bit of back rounding in the recent deadlifts. The Rip deadlift setup:

Rip's Deadlift Setup

1. Take your stance, feet a little closer than you think it needs to be and with your toes out more than you like. Your shins should be about one inch from the bar, no more. This places the bar over the mid-foot – the whole foot, not the mid-instep.

2. Take your grip on the bar, leaving your hips up. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR.

3. Drop your knees forward and out until your shins touch the bar. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR.

4. Hard part: squeeze your chest up as hard as you can. DO NOT MOVE THE BAR. This establishes a "wave" of extension that goes all the way down to the lumbar, and sets the back angle from the top down. DO NOT LOWER YOUR HIPS – LIFT THE CHEST TO SET THE BACK ANGLE.

5. Squeeze the bar off the floor and drag it up your legs in contact with your skin/sweats until it locks out at the top. If you have done the above sequence precisely as described, the bar will come off the ground in a perfectly vertical path. All the slack will have come out of the arms and hamstrings in step 4, the bar will not jerk off the ground, and your back will be in good extension. You will perceive that your hips are too high, but if you have completed step 4 correctly, the scapulas, bar, and mid-foot will be in vertical alignment and the pull will be perfect. The pull will seem "shorter" this way.

The big one for you is not setting the chest angle by moving the hips, instead think about moving the chest and then maintaining this angle with strong core isometric contraction.

Maybe have a look in KidColin's log for his deadlift vids if you want a visual idea (though i dont think he sets up exactly like the above)

Thanks Aidan. Following that next time I DL. Haven't been thinking about pushing my chest up. Will re-read the SS chapter on it as well. Will repeat weight.

Monday 12/08/2014 Workout

Squat 3x5x265

Clean complex: clean from power, hang clean, full clean (touch n go): up to 165 lb; failed full clean at 175 lb


Here's my first squat set from today. Some good morning-ing. I think it's partly caused by my bothersome right hip flexor; keeping my chest upright seems to agitate it less. Need to keep working on mobility here.



Was rushed during oly work and continue to be a massive jellydicker there.

Nice squats

Will def follow your log

Thanks Monte.

Tuesday 12/09/2014 Workout

Bench Press 3x5x200

Weighted chin-ups 3x5x25
Pushup + KB Row 2x8x35

2 Legless 20' rope climbs


Happy to pass this bench milestone on second attempt. Think leg drive and overall tightness improving. Fun to see linear progression at work.

Tried to superset my weighted chins with handstand pushups and barely got any -- not just my shoulders/arms but core was tired from benching.

Weight up to 182 these days -- most I've ever weighed.

Wednesday 12/10/2014 Workout

Everything lbs...

Deadlift
5x45
5x135
5x185
3x235
2x285
1x325*
5x325

15x225

Front Squat
2x205
1x215
1x230
3x205

Power clean + push jerk
10x135

Some pullups, pushups, sprints on the rower.

*Was overthinking the setup so much that I accidentally double overhanded my work set at first; mostly lost my grip on the 1 rep.

Filmed my heavier deadlift warmup sets and workset(s). Was keeping the Rippetoe setup Aidan posted in mind.

Back is still quite rounded, and gets worse as weight increases. I was focused on squeezing my chest upward, but obviously fell short. Not sure if I'm what I'm lacking is back strength or mobility.

Also curious what you guys think of my warmup rep schedule. (I do a general warmup beforehand; some jump rope, air squats, BW good mornings, leg kicks, other dynamic stretches)

The 15x225 was just an experiment... At these weights I feel like I have gas in the tank after I finish, but I don't think my form is strong enough to move heavier. I thought I'd try adding volume at a light-ish weight. Should I ditch it? Would it make more sense to increase volume of my warmup sets instead? Thanks.

(Also -- learned how to trim my youtube videos of unnecessary footage.)

3x235:


2x285:


1x325:


5x325

Friday 12/12/2014 workout

Superset:
DB BP 50x{15,15,12,10,11}
Pull ups parallel-ish grip {9,7,6,3,3}

Walking lunges 4 x 15 steps x 2 45# DB racked on shoulders

Treadmill hill sprint
8.0 mph, 15% incline
3x 20 sec running, 10 sec rest


I've been traveling. Dropped into an airport hotel gym Friday during a layover.

Gym was predictably limited: treadmills, dumbbells, a standing cable machine w various pullup handles (and like 2" clearance between highest handles and ceiling). I could've put in more work. Four hours sleep contributed to lack of WIM.

The hill sprints smoked me. My intention was a full 8 round tabata; felt like I was gonna die after 3. I liked the exercise a lot and will experiment with longer rest intervals next time I work out on a treadmill; maybe 1:1 work:rest or even 1:2.

My poor grip strength is a leak. It doesn't really affect 5-rep sets of the compound barbell movements, but it was def a limiting factor in my superset (esp DB bench, which I didn't expect) and sometimes limits me in stuff like kettlebell swings and high-rep clean sets. What's the standard prescription here? Captions of Crush hand grippers? Something else?

Monday 12/15/2014 workout

Front squat:
2x195
2x215
2x235
1x255

Then tabatas of goblet squats, ring rows, pushups, ring dips.


I'm traveling. Dropped into a local CrossFit gym. Haven't attempted a heavy front squat single recently (ever?) so 255 is now my highest tested front squat. Went up fairly easily; I should be good for another 10-20 lbs I'd think.

I just FB'ed you.

Tuesday 12/16/2014 workout
Everything lb as always...

Split jerk
1x155
1x175
2x1x185

Push jerk
4x3x155

Some pullups and wall balls.

GL

I was similar weight/height when I started SS and have made some decent gains. I can probably help with nutritional stuff and very basic form stuff. Probably a lot of the comments in my log could help you. I'll be keeping my eye on your log good luck

Thanks StuckinARutt. Have seen your log -- nice progress.

Will def have nutritional questions for you/others at some point. So far I haven't been tracking super closely; just eating a ton and trying to eat 175-200g of protein. Seems to be working fine so far. When I stop getting stronger and gaining weight I will dial in on the diet.

Wednesday 12/17/2014
Downhill skiing all day. Was visiting my sisters in San Francisco and we went out to Tahoe. For a northeast kid like myself it was amazing skiing. Was dumping snow the whole time and the deep powder definitely made me feel it in my quads (which were still DOMS-ing from Monday).

Thursday 12/18/2014

Bench Press 3x5x205

Weighed chin-ups +25 lb x 7,7,5


Bench was tough but not a major grind. Still have tons of room for improvement on form but I'm glad the weight is going up.

Yea if you find you're gaining weight and you're hitting your 1+ g/lb protein then yea eat whatever the hell you want and no need for tracking yet. (Assuming you're not gaining more than say 2lb/week then you may be eating too much and gaining more fat than needed)

Friday 12/19/2014 workout

OHP:
1x5x135
1x4x135
1x3x135

Hang clean + front squat + split jerk complex:
4x1x155

Front Squat:
2x3x205
1x4x205

12 min metcon of 135# cleans, knees to elbows, running.

Last front squat set was supposed to be an AMRAP; I had more reps in me but was experimenting with 2 fingers on the bar and wasn't able to hold onto it.

OHP sets 1 and 2 below. Completed 1 set of the 1 wheel milestone. Embarrassed at the lack of WIM in Set 2 below. I'm leaning pretty far forward -- I assume I should be standing more upright? I also lose a lot of tightness when I breathe out at the top. I have to work on that.

ETA: Looking at it again, I hope I'm not displaying a dangerous amount of back arch. Thoughts are appreciated.

Set 1:


Set 2:

Saturday 12/20/2014 Workout

DL 1x5x335

Back squat:
1x5x270
1x4x270


DL: Still working on form. Back bend decreasing but still present. Is this more likely to be a mobility issue or a back strength issue?

Back squat: Wasn't planning on squatting today but my legs felt pretty good after deadlifting and I hadn't back squatted in awhile. Was disappointed but not surprised to fail at 270 since my legs weren't super fresh.

Weird dream-like cloudy quality on the video of the first set. Looks like Happy Gilmore's happy place dreams.

Had a friend film my second set from behind to analyze my knee cave; of course I wore black pants in front of a black wall and you can't really tell. I think my apparent crookedness is mostly due to the camera being held crooked.

Deadlift:


Squat Set 1:


Squat Set 2: