TheDarwinFish's Beginner Strength Training Log

[thedarwinfish]

Hello to all. I just started training with the BSTP this week. I've been reading Mehdi's articles for the past couple/few weeks. Thanks to Mehdi for the considerable time he puts into this.

Stats:

Age: 32
Height: 5'9"/175cm
Weight: 188lbs/85kg
Body fat: ~25-26%

Starting weight: ~225lbs/102kg
Starting body fat: ~35-36%

I started this lifestyle change back around the end of February. I don't know how accurate my body fat % is as I'm just using a Tanita scale but even if the number itself is off I can at least use it as a means of tracking progress.

My goals: I'd like to get down to 15% bodyfat, possibly less depending how I feel I look at that time. Once that is completed I want to concentrate on adding weight again... healthy weight this time around.

My first session was Monday. Here's what I've done so far:

Monday, June 16 2008

Squat: 5x5 65lbs
Bench: 5x5 65lbs
Barbell Row: 5x5 65lbs
Dips: 1/0.5/0 BW (STELLAR!)


Wednesday, June 18 2008

Squat: 5x5 65lbs
Overhead: 5x5 45lbs
Deadlift: 1x5 95lbs
Pull-ups: 0.5/0/0 (I didn't think I could possibly suck more at something than I did at dips!)


Comments:
I did the squats at 65 twice because I realized my form wasn't quite right on the Monday and wanted to make sure that I did it right before moving up. It's good now and Saturday will be increased. My technique wasn't right on the barbell row so I'm going to have to correct that.

I was really nervous about trying to do squats again on Wednesday when they were still burning from Monday but it all workded out. I'm feeling great today (still with the wobbly legs) and I'm looking forward to Saturday.

But so far I'm digging this routine. It fits into my schedule which is packed. It feels good. For the first time in almost a decade I'm excited about going to the gym again.

[Rugger]

Nice job with the weight loss. I think strength training is exactly what you need to lose the rest of that bodyfat.

[thedarwinfish]

Saturday, June 21 2008

Squat: 5x5 70lbs
Bench: 5x5 70lbs
Row: 1x5 70lbs
Dips: 10/5/3 50% BW

Comments:

Squats were good. It's weird. I'd be struggling on rep 4 (squats) and then 5 would come up no prob. No real problems with any of the main lifts so they'll be bumped up. Since my dips are abysmal I went with the weight-assisted machine. Put it on 50% of my weight and managed to get to 10 for the first set so I'll go with that until I can do 10 for 3 sets.

I need to improve my flexibility. I need to work on it daily.

[klue]

Hello and welcome to the forum,

I see that you did assisted dips in your last workout, however Mehdi doesn't recommend this. Check out his post about dips: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-dips-with-proper-technique/

Even if you can't do a single dip, its better to keep practicing, and before long you'll be doing several.

[KIB]

Dips: 1/0.5/0 BW (STELLAR!)
Pull-ups: 0.5/0/0 (I didn't think I could possibly suck more at something than I did at dips!)

Congrats on joining SL.
That stiffness means the pain is working!
Like klue says, keep at the dips, pulls and chins. You'll see on lots of other people's logs that many couldn't even do one when they started.
I made a big difference in my dips by using chairs at home. I started with my hands on the seat of a chair behind me, my legs out straight and my feet on the floor. You can start those triceps working and do what they call "greasing the groove", which just means picking away at the exercise in small bursts as often as possible. When you can do a bunch of those, elevate your feet on another chair seat. This gets more weight to your arms. I used to do some any time I sat at a dining room chair, just quickly rip some off. Pulls and chins are kind of the same, but you need somewhere hang a bar. Can you get one for your home?

Welcome and we'll be watching your progress, DF.

[thedarwinfish]

Monday, June 23 2008

Squat: 5x5 75lbs
Overhead: 5x5 50lbs
Deadlift: 3x5 100lbs
Chins: 10x9x3 50% BW

Wednesday, June 25 2008

Squat: 5x5 80lbs
Bench: 5x5 75lbs
Row: 5x5 80lbs
Dips: 3x0 BW

Comments:

As you can see, I took the advice (thanks, guys) and went back to unassisted weight today. 'Stellar performance' would not be used to describe the outcome. Ah, well. Shit happens. I'm sure it'll be better for me in the long run. I decided to up the deadlift to 3 sets. I like them and want to do more than just one. I also accidentally went up a little more than planned in the row and didn't bump up enough in the deadlift but it worked out so that's cool. It'll be all righted next time.

So far the only failure has come in the form of dips, chins and pull-ups. But I don't want to rush it so I'm sticking with the plan rather than bumping up as suggested in the program.

[KIB]

You taking a notebook to the gym? Takes all the pressure off remembering the numbers, and it's a great record. Keep track of your BW in there, too. I've got a short form of all the most important points of the lift forms from the SL e-book in my notes. It's good to give the list a quick run-through before lifting cuz there's just so much to remember.

[thedarwinfish]

Hey KIB, yeah I do take a little notebook with me to track it all, but I just bumped up the wrong amount. The deadlift is suggested to go up by 10 lbs if you complete all sets but I only bumped it up 5 as with the other lifts. Next workout is Saturday morning. I'm also thinking of adding running Friday mornings. I get up at 5am every morning to get to the gym for 6am. But Friday's I don't go to the gym nor do I need to get into work early so I could sleep in... but I may just stick with the 5am and do something constructive Friday mornings.

As of now I don't do any cardio. I walk my dog most nights for a half hour to 45 mins but other than that nothing. I should probably be doing more.

[thedarwinfish]

Wednesday, June 28 2008

Squat: 5x5 85lbs
Overhead: 5x5 55lbs
Deadlift: 5x5 110lbs
Pull-ups: 1x0x0 BW (185lbs)

Comments:

I DID AN UNASSISTED PULL-UP! How sad it is that 1 rep made me as psyched as that, but damn it, I can't help it. I was wearing a ball cap and the beak was facing forward. I got on the machine, closed my eyes, let Pantera psych me up and started the pull-up. I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off because it was a very demanding workout today. Next thing I know the beak of my cap is banging into the bar above! It kind of fucked me up as I was shocked and I was kind of startled by it. No more completed reps after that, but fuck yeah on the first one!

As for the rest of the workout it, it was awesome. Probably my favourite so far as I'm starting to really work to complete some of the sets. Squats are getting more difficult. Overhead press, I will probably be reaching a failure weight either next workout or the one after that. It was getting pretty difficult to complete the last couple sets. Deadlifts seemed to work my quads more than usual... maybe it was because my squats were harder than usual. Either way, everything felt great and I can't wait for Monday. Maybe I can rock a solid dip rep hahaha.

[thedarwinfish]

Tuesday, July 1 2008 - Week 3 Day 1

Squat: 5x5 90lbs
Bench: 5x5 80lbs
Row: 5x5 85lbs
Dips: 2x1x0 BW (184lbs)

Comments:

Monday didn't happen. Gym was closed for Canada Day (even though it's actually today). So I hit it this morning. It went very well. Squats I feel like I'm getting close to failure, but I've felt that before and then the next workout they feel solid so who knows.

Bench went very well, I think I'm going to bump up 10lbs next time out. I'm not even remotely close to failure on them so I don't think a 10lb jump instead of 5 is going to wreck anything.

I'm not feeling awesome about my row form and I think it's a result of my shitty hamstring flexibility. They're wobbly and tight while doing the row. I can't even come close to touching my toes so I know this is a problem.

Dips. 3 total unassisted dips! THREE! First set I got two off. Second set, 1 rep that took me about 15 seconds to complete, but I did followed by as long of a negative down as I could muster. Third set I got maybe half way and then did the long negative back down as best I could. That rocked. I still can't believe I did three.

[Cleave]

Way to go on the dips and the Pullup?

How are the early mornings going? You still getting to the gym early?

[thedarwinfish]

They're still going. I've got this week off so I've been able to sleep in a bit. But next week it's back to 5am wake up call. I'm not excited about it, but that's the way things go. At least I'm seeing progress. That makes it worth it. I'm excited to see how chin-ups go tomorrow.

[KIB]

Congrats on the dips and pulls, DF. That's awesome. You'll look back on these days, man.
Make sure you concentrate on that BB Row form. Get someone to watch you do it and tell them what to look for.
I tweaked badly on this lift and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[mjh]

I tweaked badly on this lift and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I second that. A moment's inattention had me laying on the floor for a week.

[thedarwinfish]

Thanks for the heads up. It's one of the lifts I'm most concerned about. I can see how one could easily bugger themselves up doing it. There's not usually anyone else in the free-weight area when I'm in there but next time there is I will see if someone will check my form. Speaking of form, I had to go in Thursday evening rather than my normal time. Free-weight area was a clinic on how to not lift. Even as a noob I was appalled at what I was seeing. It's amazing some of these people are as big as they are and have somehow avoided hurting themselves.

Tuesday, July 3 2008 - Week 3 Day 2

Squat: 5x5 95lbs
Overhead: 5x5 60lbs
Deadlift: 3x5 120lbs
Chin-ups: 2x1x0 BW (184lbs)

Comments:

I thought I would be failing on the overhead this day based on how tough it was getting the last set up at 55lbs. Turns out 60 ended up feeling pretty good... even better than 55. Might've been because of the different time of the workout, food over the course of the day, I dunno. Deadlift was good. I've sucked ass at working on my flexibility. I have to figure out how to get off my ass and do that. It's only going to leave me more prone to injury. Chin-ups were great. I can now do at least 1 BW rep with all three of the BW exercises. For chins I did the palms facing each other parallel chin. Is that cool? Or should I be doing it as a pull-up but with my palms facing me?

Can't work out tomorrow, unfortunately. I'll be spending the day volunteering at a charity golf tournament. Instead I'll be hitting the gym Sunday pushing next week's workouts to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and then back to Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. I do not want to miss a workout. At least not yet.