Due to a three way parlay of 1. moving to a new city, 2. getting a video camera and 3. my laptop harddrive breaking and me losing the last 1.5 months of my gym log I decided to make a log here as a backup and also to get feedback on stuff.

I'm 22, 183cm/87-90kg (haven't weighed myself recently, probably on the higher side of that). Over the last two months I've gotten my lifts up to

Squat 87.5x5x3
Bench 67.5x5x3
Press 50x5x3 (epic failed 52.5)
Deadlift 117.5x5
Row 60x5x3
Power Clean 60x3x5 (though form feels dodgy, I think I'm using my arms)

I have an on-again-off-again love/hate relationship with my left groin/hip flexor which causes me discomfort some times but has generally been fine for the past two months. Some days I feel some discomfort on the inside of my right knee not necessarily during lifting, just while doing normal stuff. I bought knee sleeves to use while lifting to see if that will help.

As for programming, I'm planning on starting a five day cycle of

Squat/Bench
Clean/Jerk/(Snatch)
Rest/Mobility
Deadlift/Press/Row
Rest/Mobility

though if you can think of a better way to arrange those exercises I'll listen. Why am I not doing normal SS? I like deadlifting and didn't want to be prefatigued by squats before doing them, I wanted to add the barbell row in there and I wanted an oly lifting day because I like doing it. All these may mean I'm sacrificing some overall strength gains but I'm also increasing my general happiness (and resultantly my likelihood to stick with the program, not miss sessions etc) which is a trade-off I'm willing to make.

Here are two youtube videos with very slightly different camera angles to use as a starting point for where I'm at right now (also available in super sweet HD):

22/10/09 Starting point
22/10/09 Starting point 2

Ahahah. Those vids are funny. Why not just take starting point ("before") pics? It's easy to compare those side by side later. This might be cool though, whatev.

And being too pre-fatigues by squats to do DL? I think if you want to put up good number on your DL you should be squatting more.

Other than that, GL! Get some form vids uploaded asap so you can get really good feedback.

Because I just bought an awesome new video camera. Also because I haven't figured out how to work the time delayed photo option yet.

22/10

Squat - 20x5, 50x4, 60x3, 70x2, 80x1, 90x5x3
Bench - 20x5, 40x5, 50x3, 60x2, 65x5/5/3

First workout in two weeks. Squat was fine, Bench was a huge fail. Videos to follow.

22/10

Squat 1
Squat 2
Squat 3

Felt fine, a couple reps I lost some tightness and struggled a bit, and my lower back rounding is something I'm constantly having to deal with but these felt ok.

Bench 1
Bench 2
Bench 3

Yeah. These were terrible. I'm going to drop down some more weight for next time and bring it back up slowly. With two weeks out of the gym I probably should have started lower anyway.

Wow, might be the camera angle but it looks like you're going very deep on the squats. If you're having problems with your lower back rounding/buttwink, which it looks like you are, you should consider not getting quite so deep. I love the end of the second bench video.

You need an arch and some leg drive in the bench press. You have neither. Plus a stretch reflex out of the bottom.

Squats look great. Maybe a bit too deep as deathpotato said, but if it causes you no problems, then forget it.

End of the 2nd bench video is great though. The sound reminds me of this:

looks like a high bar back squat, in which depth is usually atg, so they look good to me. A little wink but nothing egregious.

What kyle said on the bench. 2nd vid is great. Besides no arch and no leg drive, in general you look very relaxed on the bench. You should be tense as hell. Don't let out so much air between reps, you should just be capping off your lungs and staying tight throughout your entire torso (and glutes and legs, for that matter). The big exhale is letting everything turn to gobbledy-goo.

Watch the Tate video. Some prefer the mega arched style with feet underneath them and heels up, some more akin to what SS suggests. I prefer the latter, fwiw, but his vid is still helpful.

they look like high bar squats which would explain why you can get that much depth without really bad lumbar rounding.

too late......... grunting on bench was silly.

Do you have a link to the Tate video? When benching I try to squeeze my abs tight and keep my feet solid but yesterday I was just all over the place. Your right I probably let myself relax too much at the top.

As for the 2nd Bench vid, I had my iPod on and didn't even realise I was making whale sounds.

23/10

Clean - 20x10, 30x3x2, 40x3, 50x3x5
Jerk - 20x3, 40x3, 50x3, 60x3, 65x3, 70x1, 75x1

Clean Front
Clean Side

I dropped the weight down and tried to avoid using my arms but I can't tell when doing them whether I'm pulling the weight or not. I also tried to lower my hips more than usual in the starting position.

There was a set that I didn't record where I focused on keeping my knees back and keeping my back angle the same until I got to around midthigh that I got from watching some Burgener snatch vids, and the set felt very good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

Yeah, I thought it might be that. I'm not quite buying the ridiculous back arch though. I thought the idea was to move heavy weights through a full ROM, not artificially shorten the ROM and make it a 'who can get his chest up the highest' instead of a 'who can bench press the most weight' contest.

By dropping your elbows below the bench surface, you are putting your body at a huge mechanical disadvantage. It's not like if you continue to bench the way you do and then switch to an arched position that you'll suddenly add 80 pounds to the lift.

Just came back from the hardware store where I got some PVC pipe to use as a foam roller and dear god I have never felt pain like this.

why do you use that ridiculous rack for your squats when you have a powerrack there for your taking?!? I'd kill for a rack like that.

I do all my lifts except Bench in the same exact spot, I see no reason to walk the five meters to use the powerrack.

25/10

Deadlift - 20x5, 60x5, 80x3, 100x1, 110x5
Press - 20x5, 30x3, 40x2, 45x5x3
Row - 20x5, 50x3, 55x5x3

I lowered my weights on all lifts to avoid another bench-esque performance. Vids to follow soon.

25/10

Deadlift
Press Set 1
Press Set 2
Row

27/10

Squat - 20x5, 50x4, 60x3, 70x2, 80x1, 92.5x5x3
Bench - 20x5, 30x5, 40x4, 50x2, 60x5x3

I dropped the weight and really focused on arching my back, lifting my chest up and staying tight.

Bench Set 1
Bench Set 2
Bench Set 3

28/10

Power Clean – 20x5, 30x3, 40x3, 50x3, 55x3x5
Jerk – 50x3, 60x3, 70x1, 75xfx2
Power Snatch – 20x5, 30x3, 40x3, 45x1, 50xfx2, 50x1

Clean Set 2
Clean Set 4

I tried a wider grip today since Burgener mentioned it in his latest CFJ C+J vid, I also tried to keep my hips much lower in the starting position though watching the video it seems like I'm automatically returning to that hips high position even before the weight comes off the ground. I'm still not sure about my arms, I don't think I'm using them but I really can't tell. These felt better than last time, though I still have problems with not getting my elbows around the bar fast enough and I also think I'm catching the bar too low on my chest, not high up on my shoulders/near my throat, probably still thinking too much about catching the weight with my arms. I did bang my collarbones up pretty good on a few reps today.

Snatch

My first time snatching more than an empty bar. I'm sure my form is lol and I wouldn't be surprised if there was some technical nuance I'm unaware of that makes this a disqualified lift but whatever, I liked it and it was fun. Tried to focus on keeping my knees back and exploding and not using my arms.

Metallica Enter Sandman + shouting + Ronnie Coleman power got me through even after failing 50kg twice (both times I got it above my head but my elbows were noticably bent).

Your bench looks better, but I think you should arch your back even more.

In the third set I sort of realised that I can arch my back even more by moving my butt up closer to my shoulders which I will try next time.

lmao @ the snatch video

Actually that snatch looks better than most peoples first attempt w/weight.

Also you didn't drop it on your head so thats a plus.