I've been putting this off for a while, but I want to get stronger/look better. I play basketball about 3 times a week so I'm hoping adding some muscle mass will improve my game. I probably will have to cut down on the basketball during the program since rest is important.

Anyway, I'll give my stats: I'm 5'10", about 170 lbs, in decent shape but I could definitely use some more muscle.

Going by the book, here's my first workout (weights in lbs):

Squat:
45x5x3
65x5x1
85x5x3

Bench
45x5x2
65x5x1
85x5x3

Deadlift
135x5x2 (It says I'm supposed to do only 1 set but I did another since I thought my form was poor on the first set)

I'm gonna try to stick too the original program as close as possible. I go to college so hopefully I can find a gym with bumper plates so I can learn to clean. I'll try to post some vids in later workouts for form checks. Any tips are appreciated, Thanks!

Is it ok to do deadlifts instead of power cleans on the first couple "B" workouts if I don't think my DL form is good yet?

I'd probably keep working on my DL form for now, its not gonna get better by ignoring it! :P

Day 2:

Squat:
45x5x3
55x3x1
75x2x1
95x5x3

Press:
45x5x3
55x5x1
65x5x1

Deadlift:
45x5x2
65x5
95x2
115x5

Squat and Press felt fine, I dropped weight from the first workout on DLs to work on form, but I still think it is poor. My knees keep buckling inward and I don't think my back is staying flat. Any tips to address these issues?

I got the warmup sets off the SS wiki, do they look OK?

Day 3:

Squat:
45x5x3
65x3x1
85x2x1
105x5x3

Bench:
45x5x3
65x3x1
85x2x1
95x5x3

Deadlift:
45x5x2
65x3x1
95x2x1
115x5x1

Everything felt pretty good today. DL felt much better so next workout I'll up the weight.

Day 4:

Squat:
45x5x3
65x3
95x2
115x5x3

Press:
45x5x3
55x3
65x2
75x5x3

Deadlift:
45x5x2
75x3
105x2
125x1

Here's a vid of my most recent DL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ9dcbTXcHo
Form is probably poor but I'll do the best I can to improve it so please comment!

Here's an old squat vid from Day 2 I believe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzD40OJFdjg

I'd like to finally work in power cleans, but I want to make sure I get my DL form down pretty good first.

Day 5:

Squat:
45x5x3
75x3
100x2
125x5x3

Bench:
45x5x3
70x3
90x2
105x5x3

Deadlift:
45x5x2
80x3
110x2
135x5x1

Day 6:

Squat:
45x5x3
80x3
105x2
135x5x3

Press:
45x5x3
55x3
65x2
80x5x3

Deadlift:
55x5x2
85x3
120x2
145x5x1

Did some power cleans too, mostly with just the bar. I read most of the SS section on PCs but I have no idea if I'm doing them correctly. I'll try to post a video soon.

Day 7:

Squat:
45x5x2
55x5
85x3
115x2
145x5x3

Bench:
45x5x2
55x5
80x3
100x2
115x5x3

Deadlift:
60x5x2
90x3
130x2
155x5x1

I am completely exhausted tonight, even hours after the workout. I took a video of a squat set so I'll try to post that tomorrow.

Here's my third set of squats at 145

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R7K3FWwaYk

I need some help with bar position. Where should the bar be on my back?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Uju...eature=related

Get under the bar, take your grip, elbows back, find that little shelf made from your muscles. You can see in that video it is just under the traps.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYBNT...eature=related

Heres another decent look at the position, although this is about the bottom range of low bar I would imagine.

Been a while since I updated. I've missed 2 workouts total but here's the latest workout.

Squat:
45x5x2
65x5
100x3
135x2
170x5x3

Bench:
45x5x2
60x5
85x3
110x2
125x5x3

Deadlift:
70x5x2
105x3
145x2
175x5x1

Not a great workout yesterday, I felt tired for most of my lifts and my form felt bad too. I was still a little sore from Monday and I'm sore today from Wednesdy.

Warmup: Foam rolling + 5 min stationary bike

Squat: 45x5x2, 70x5, 105x3, 140x2, 175x5x3

Don't have a video of yesterday, but I think I'm still rounding my back at the bottom (buttwink). Idk if it's a flexibility issue but even when I concentrate on keeping my lower back straight, I still buttwink.

Also, I can't help but look in the huge mirror directly in front of me and see that my knees are caving on the way up. I am aware of them and try to push them out, but they wobble for the heavy reps. Should I drop down in weight on my work sets to correct my form issues or can these be fixed in my warmup sets?

Press: 45x5x2, 50x5, 65x5, 80x2, 95x5, 95x4, 95x3

I failed the last rep of the second set and the fourth rep of the third set. These were really hard. I think I need to start microloading for press and only add 2.5 lbs. Is this normal to have to start microloading press at this weight?

PC: Hang cleans, jumps wih bar to warm up, 45x5x2, 50x3, 60x2, 75x3x5

PC felt ok, my form probably sucks so I'll try to get a video up.

Deadlift: 110x3, 155x2, 185x5x1
I didn't do a full DL warmup because I did cleans right before. DL felt fine.

Yeah its normal. Start microloading from now.

Thanks Carl, do you by any chance know the type of washers I should get for microloading? I think they're from McMaster-Carr and 4 washers=2.5 lbs? Not sure what the exact specs are though.