OMG not another Rippetoes blog!

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Reply 660

sleekchic

Ditto about being the not strong, but silent type.

Reply 661

Gone Revising

Original post by Arturo Bandini

Hey Smack, just dropping in to let you know that I read your blog. I read most of the regs' blogs. I just don't always have much to say. I'm the strong silent type.

Me too, though i the less strong silent type

Reply 662

xc1991

Original post by Smack

There aren't any Bosu Balls in my gym. :u:

whats your weight, waist and chest size btw?

Reply 663

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by xc1991

whats your weight, waist and chest size btw?

I'm about fifteen stone; don't know the answer to any of your other questions, sorry.

Reply 664

xc1991

Original post by Smack

I'm about fifteen stone; don't know the answer to any of your other questions, sorry.

15 stone/210lbs?! thats quite a lot of progress from 160lbs 2 years ago!

on another note, we're about same size (i'm 6'2 207lbs). your squat is a lot more than mine though

Reply 665

Philosoraptor

2 year later on bro - has it worked? Want to see if it's worth doing :biggrin:

Also is it one that will be screwed if you stop for a bit (I got sick twice recently stopping me going to gym)

Reply 666

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by xc1991

15 stone/210lbs?! thats quite a lot of progress from 160lbs 2 years ago!

on another note, we're about same size (i'm 6'2 207lbs). your squat is a lot more than mine though

Original post by Philosoraptor

2 year later on bro - has it worked? Want to see if it's worth doing :biggrin:

Also is it one that will be screwed if you stop for a bit (I got sick twice recently stopping me going to gym)

That's quite a complicated question and would be best answered by reading my log from start to finish so you can draw your own conclusions. My conclusions are often somewhat effects by whatever mood I'm in.

Reply 667

Philosoraptor

Original post by Smack

I suppose it's not bad progress. People are certainly saying I'm bigger, but I don't really notice much difference because I see myself in the mirror everyday. At least I will admit I look somewhat more normal now.

That's quite a complicated question and would be best answered by reading my log from start to finish so you can draw your own conclusions. My conclusions are often somewhat effects by whatever mood I'm in.

Hey mate - sorry if it looks like I just waded in and didn't bother! I did read the first few pages! But with my ADHD madness it's hard to keep going :p:

Reply 668

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by Philosoraptor

Hey mate - sorry if it looks like I just waded in and didn't bother! I did read the first few pages! But with my ADHD madness it's hard to keep going :p:

It's okay. I can be very OCD sometimes (although I must say that I've not actually got OCD). The short answer is that Starting Strength was the best thing I've ever done. The long answer would require a lot of writing. I think there is a lot people could learn from reading my log from start to finish - not necessarily training wise as in what rep range for what exercises and what ones are good for what, but about consistency, training hard and properly and not being influenced by fads. I think I do at least an okay job of detailing my specific thoughts at the time, too. If there's anything that you come across that you're not sure of, just ask, because I've got a good memory.

Reply 669

Smack

Volunteer Team

Good session tonight.

Squats:

140 x 5
140 x 5
140 x 5

Wore the belt. These weren't hard at all, really. Only a minute or two's rest between sets because I was impatient and didn't require any more.

Bench press:

75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5

These were a bit harder. Probably because I'm not used to benching after squatting three plates for three sets of five.

Deadlifts:

170 x 5

Wore the belt again. Wasn't even going to attempt this because I was feeling a little nauseous and didn't want to chunder everywhere. But I manned the **** up and went for it, and they were not too hard. Had more in me.

Didn't do any assistance because gym was about to close. If it wasn't I'd have done some dips.

Reply 670

Smack

Volunteer Team

Squats:

143 x 5
143 x 5
143 x 5

A bit harder than last time.

Press:
50 x 5
50 x 5
50 x 5

Easy. It's amazing how much keeping the correct line above the foot and speed help with these.

Power cleans:

70 x 3
70 x 3
70 x 3
70 x 3
70 x 3

Easy enough.

Curls:

bar + 25 x 8
bar + 25 x 8

Used a different curl bar today and it was really tearing up my wrists for some reason... Weight was easy enough, thankfully.

Reply 671

Khanage

Correct line above the foot? Can you put this in laments terms? Haha.

Reply 672

Smack

Volunteer Team

Well essentially the bar must travel in as vertical a path as possible and as the entire body balances on the foot then this vertical path is over the foot. Keeping the bar in this most efficient vertical path often requires a little bit of leaning back until the bar is over the head, then you push the head forward, like you're looking out of a window.

Reply 673

Khanage

Original post by Smack

Very true, i like your 'look out the window' cue. Will keep this in mind next time im pressing.

Reply 674

Smack

Volunteer Team

Okay so it's time for me to review my previous year's training. I started again from Scratch in November 09 after an illness, but only had a few training sessions between November and February due to uni work, exams and Christmas, so I'll include the few training sessions I did in late 09 in this review as well.

Firstly, I'll look at some numbers.

Squat: 80 x 5 -> 160 x 5
Bench: 50 x 5 -> 90 x 2
Deadlift: 120 x 5 -> 170 x 5
Press: 35 x 5 -> 62.5 x 5

Numbers wise, the squat increased the most, having doubled. Squatting has always been one of my strongest lifts and I'm slightly disappointed to have not gone for four plates. After my slight back injury and my silly obsession with beltless training I've lost a bit of squatting strength and I think I'd struggle with 160 for a single currently. I also did a widow-maker with 115, which was interesting to say the least.

The bench and the press were both pretty much equal in terms of a 1RM increase, if you look at the maths (using Wendler's formula to estimate a 1RM). I'm quite happy about the press considering that I've never done any strict pressing before. Proper technique helped a lot too. Regarding the bench, volume seemed to help a fair bit, although it's also the lift that I lose strength the fastest with, too. I peaked during a volume phase but sadly haven't been able to replicate that, although I've managed some rep PRs. Will be interesting to see what my strength/rep curve looks like.

The deadlift increased the least. The reason for this was firstly that due to the deadlift being the most natural movement, I lost the least strength on it. And secondly, I've not really been training my deadlift much this year. I know from experience that if I want a stronger deadlift I've got to deadlift, and apart from when I was using Starting Strength and Madcows, I wasn't really pulling from the floor. I did do a bit of deficits, but they haven't really helped that much, if at all.

Consistency wise, its been average. I had a full summer of training, trained for most of the winter and spring (apart from during exams), although I have missed a lot of training since the start of the autumn semester. At least I finished the year stronger than when I started it!

The rate of change of my progress has been, well, mixed. I made good progress on Starting Strength and Madcows. In fact just about all my strength was gained on those routines - I only added a little bit to my bench during the higher volume phase. I also had times when I wasn't making great progress, particularly on the bench. And from September to December was pretty much just a little bit of maintenance.

I'm not sure what my plan is for 2011 yet, that's another post anyway...

Reply 675

Smack

Volunteer Team

Okay so I wrote last night that my plan for 2011 would be another post, and here it is.

Firstly I've got exams this month so I'll obviously be very busy. I was initially planning to do Starting Strength to see how it'd work for me with a three plate squat for three sets of five and an almost four plate deadlift for a single set of five. Well, the low back doesn't like it after the squats for a little while. I was considering dropping the sets across in favour of ramping the sets but then I decided that I'd better not train three times a week. I'll be cutting the volume so I don't feel beat up. Training will still be full body but lower body exercises will just a single set, and for upper I'll work up to a heavy triple or five and do a lighter back off. I'll be benching, cleaning and chinning twice a week, and I'll probably alternative squats with deadlifts. Hopefully this'll work.

Good luck.

Quick one tonight. Gym was ****ing packed with pussy too. Weights area was almost empty when I went in, too.

Bench press:

77.5 x 5
77.5 x 5
77.5 x 5

Hard. I'd put my 5RM at 80kg at the moment.

Deadlifts:

175 x 5

Very hard. Harder than I expected, grip was a little iffy as well - perhaps that's what made them hard - although I've not been eating much this year so far.

Curls.

Bar + 30 x 6
Bar + 30 x 6
Bar + 30 x 5 + 1 cheat

I did these because my broceps don't grow from anything else and I believe my small arms are holding me back on everything that involves the arms. Never seen anyone curl the 15s either side of the bar either. I'll try and get more reps next time.

Reply 678

SMed

Nice pull, that should be good for over 200kg.

Reply 679

Smack

Volunteer Team

According to Wendler's formula it's good for 204 or 450lbs. From experience I've noticed that my sets of five on the deadlift do not equal quite as high a max as the calculators say.