SamuraiMark's Training Log

[SamuraiMark]

Hello everyone,

I've been running since 2006, and made some great gains there, but all my work never really had a big impact on my body composition. I got a lot faster, but not much leaner. Easily 90% of my fitness work since early 2006 has been running. The rest has mostly been bodyweight resistance work. Recent RM injuries have curtailed my running and led me to the gym. My physio wants me doing other stuff to balance things out while I slowly rebuild my mileage, so I've been doing Spin classes and more bodyweight workouts from the Men's Health Belly Off program. The Belly Off workouts are great, and I've added dumbbells to many of the exercises (split squats, RDLs etc), but I've been reading a lot of material online, t-nation articles, etc., and the consistent message is: resistance comes first, cardio second. So I've decided to give StrongLifts 5x5 a shot.

Current state: 5'9", about 177lbs with 23% body fat, and Kick Sand In My Face weak. Not an elite runner, but I can do a respectable 23:30 5K, and I believe I have the capacity to beat 20 minutes. Ran my first Half in January. Just started 5x5. Also doing remedial running and spin classes.

Goals:

1. Lose the fat, and build strength. From 177lbs/23% fat to 165-175lbs/under 15% fat and STRONG.
2. Keep running, prep for another 10K race in the Fall, my second Half next January, possibly a 2010 triathlon (my first).

Cheers,
Mark

[SamuraiMark]

I started 5x5 last Monday. I was just going to try out some squats, minding my technique, but I ended up doing the whole workout A. But starting last week was not a stellar idea, as it was also the week of our annual Disaster Recovering test which means 4 days of around the clock shift work, with minimal opportunity to exercise and eat well. Unless you equate "eat well" with "eat a shit load of restaurant food". I which case, I ate very "well". I may have gained a few pounds!

Anyway, did not get around to doing workout B until today, but I did it, and a 60min spin class afterward. This is the very first time I have every done deadlifts. I'm following the spreadsheet as far as weight is concerned, starting with the bar (or bar+20kg for the deadlift) and going up 5lbs/workout.

Looking forward to more!

Cheers,
Mark

[SamuraiMark]

At the risk of severe social rejection *gnashes teeth* I've switched to Starting Strength, for the following reasons:

• I'm lazy, and don't want to do the accessory exercises
• Power cleans make me feel cool

I'll attempt to be serious for a few seconds here and say to anyone reading this: I regard both StrongLift5x5 and Starting Strength to be equally excellent programs for beginners like me. Both the Starting Strength Wiki and the StrongLifts.com site have mountains of excellent information. The StrongLifts.com site does have what I feel is a significant advantage ... these forums. The forums are a much better collaboration model than the SS wiki.

Last Saturday I tweaked an old back injury. I spent all Saturday - Monday working on that, and went back to the gym on Tuesday for squats, OH press and power cleans. I dropped my squat by 20% to compensate for my back. No problems there. I've never done power cleans before, and didn't really do them then either. I just grabbed the bar and practised different parts of the motions for 20 minutes or so.

Thursday, back to squats, bench and deadlifts. I dropped my deadlift weight by 20% as well. Got through those Ok, but felt a little uncomfortable, possibly just a bit nervous about kicking off another muscle spasm.

Back for squats, OH press and (pseudo)power cleans tomorrow.

Mark

[SamuraiMark]

Because there's nothing quite like exposing one's lardy ass to the world for motivation, I give you, Chump. IIRC, I was 185lbs in these pics. I am currently 175lbs, though I really don't look much different.

[SamuraiMark]

I think I did a squat correctly today. Just one. I was @105lbs when I aggravated an old back injury a week and a half ago. I dropped my squat and deadlift weight by 20% and got back to it. Back at 105lbs today. During my second set, 3rd or 4th rep, there was one squat where my quads and glutes lit up coming out the hole.

I can honestly say that I'm just chicken shit of falling backwards. I think my unweighted squat technique is pretty bang on, but I put the bar on and it all falls apart. Often too much on the balls of my feet. I pull my toes back, but then I feel like I'm balancing, precariously, on my heels.

Working on it. Maybe I should drop my squat weight again to focus on the technique?

[SamuraiMark]

Almost ready to play with the Big Plates on my bench press, and soon on my squat as well. Squatting 115lbs today, and benching 130. Yes, that is messed up, but when you spend many weeks doing your squats all wrong, well, this is what happens. Props to eLvarouza, LudwigVan and joesterizer for their critique. Waiting for my copy of Starting Strength to be delivered.

Shoulder mobility in the squat is a challenge for me. Getting a good tight fix on the bar is just painful. Not "something very bad is happening" painful, just "us joints don't want to bend this way thank you" painful. Doing lots of shoulder dislocations and additional shoulder flexibility work to compensate.

[SamuraiMark]

Stalled on my overhead press today @95lbs. Back down to 85lbs on Friday. Squats @120lbs are still pretty easy. Bench press at 130lbs is getting close to a stall.

[SamuraiMark]

I scored a 91% on my second Nutrition assignment. Another score like that and I'll be sitting pretty on the final.

[Mouse]

Good starting pics Mark - but we need to see your wheels as well - oh and get some white briefs.........
Work on getting your technique right with squats before you start worrying about adding weight - it will be worth it in the long run.

[SamuraiMark]

Thanks Mouse, but, white briefs? I didn't think this was that kind of forum.

I'll take some new pics, legs included. I think my work is starting to pay off. After about 3 weeks of training, almost entirely just barbell lifts, I seem to be consistently down a few pounds. If nothing else, I feel more awesome. Haha.

[SamuraiMark]

A mini-milestone on my squats ... I did 135lbs today, so I got to play with the grown up plates. Still lots of capacity before I stall.

I did stall on my bench press, at 140lbs. I was a little weak on my first set so I had someone spot for me on my second and third sets. They gave me some assistance one both. Only just barely, but I would not have pulled off the 5th rep in each of those sets otherwise. Deloading to 125lbs next workout.

[Transformer]

still training? thanks for commenting on my squat vid!!

[SamuraiMark]

Still training ... into week 5. Really enjoying it. Stalled on my bench press this week. I think my squats are getting a little sloppy as the weight goes up. Need to post some new vids of my own.

[SamuraiMark]

Broke through 95lbs today on my overhead press. Sounds more dramatic than it is. 95lbs bested me a couple weeks ago. I dropped back down to 85lbs, then 90lbs again, and today, 95lbs. The overhead press was my first lift to stall, and it is now also my first experience of real progress (moving past a stall point). Huzzah.

Bench press will be the next real progression. I stalled at 140lbs, went back to 125lbs and I'm working my way back up. I should have no trouble with 140lbs next time around. I was able to complete all but the last (5th) reps on the last two sets.

Still on track to hit bodyweight in my squats in a couple weeks. I have some new video clips to post for critique. Someone better tell me I have some hip drive because my glutes are aching.

[SamuraiMark]

Did 160lbs on my squats today. My weight is hanging pretty steady around 178lbs, so I'll be looking at bodyweight within the next 3-4 sessions. Maybe. At 160lbs, I was pretty slow out of the hole. Not entirely sure I'll make it to 175-180lbs w/o a stall. We'll see! I took some video of this session. I think my form was pretty good. I'll post them.

I did stall on my overhead press again, at 100lbs. I wasn't surprised. I had previously stalled at 95lbs, reset to 85lbs, beat 95lbs, and then tackled 100lbs today. What was surprising was that I made it all the way to the last rep, last set. So close!

80lbs on the power clean. No problems there.