Kidcolin's log: back to basics (plus neck harness)
After much pussyfooting around and just generally sucking at life, I finally got into lifting heavy stuff. Basic background:
27 years old
5'9"
205 lbs
Good athlete in HS (soccer, basketball), always really skinny, ~150, probably 160-165 when I graduated. Put on a little weight in college but not much until my senior year where I was ~180. Fluctuated around 180 for a bunch of years. Eventually got up to ~200. Have fluctuated between 200-190 for a while, got as low as 175 3 years ago when I jogged a lot and nearly starved myself.
I am incredibly weak
I have some chronic soreness in my left mid back, up around the armpits, sometimes in my right back. It's likely related to sitting all day + weakness. PT at work said lifting would be fine and would help it if anything. So far it has, but mainly while I'm lifting, right after. So far it hasn't impeded anything. I bought a foam roller. I suck at it.
I used to eat like ****. Now I eat better. Typical day includes a couple of eggs and a piece of fruit for breakfast, a big salad with veggies, beans, tuna or a fish + veggies meal from the grill, maybe snack on some almonds or more fruit, chicken + veggies for dinner, sometimes lamb, sometimes with couscous or something, and about a half gallon of milk (1%) every day. I take fishoil (3-4 caps a day), magnesium (1 a day), and Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM (2-3 a day). I do have a penchant for burger and fries, so I often cheat with that once a week. I also get a sandwich from the deli on occasion.
Anyway, I'm in my 5th week of SS. I just had my 16th workout last night.
From my first two workouts, here were my numbers:
Squat - 85x5x3
BP - 75x5x3
DL - 95x5
Press - 65x5
PC - @#$!!*
Here are the numbers from the workout before last:
Squat - 185x5x3
BP - 130x5x3
DL - 220x5
And finally, here's where my log officially begins. Last night's workout, with video.
Squat
45x5x2
75x5
115x3
150x2
190x5x3 (video: set 1, set 2)
These felt pretty good, though bar speed felt slow. I watched the vid of my first set and made a point to try to get lower after that. Did I?
Press
45x5x2
55x5
70x3
85x2
100x5x3 (video: set 1)
Overall I'm pleased with these, but I need more stability at the top. I squatted more than that jacked guy in the back.
Power Clean
45x5x2
60x4
75x2
90x3x5 (video: set 1, set 2)
These were fun. It took me a few weeks to even start doing PCs. This was my first workout where I was able to use full size plates (10kg bumpers). Looking at the vid I can tell my timing isn't perfect, as I'm jumping back, but they look pretty decent to me.
After this I did some NS situps on the slant board. I've decided to do some ab work. I decided this when my whole body starts to convulse while I'm foam rolling.
Feedback greatly appreciated!
46 Replies
8/19/24: w6d1 (low stress week)
HBBS w/belt:
290x1 @7
300x1 @8
280x4 @8.5
260x4
Bench:
175x1
185x1 @7
190x1 @8ish
175x4 @8.5
165x4x2
2" Deficit DL (kg):
125x3 @6.5
130x3 @7.5
135x3 @9
125x3
Squats and bench felt light as hell. These felt heavier than expected.
Time: 80mins
Srpe: 7
I think things felt light cuz I had two croissants yesterday
RGIII style?
8/21/24: w6d2
Pin HBBS:
225x3 @7
235x3 @7.5
255x3 @9
245x3 @8
These are actually "strap" squats as we have the catch straps instead of safety pins. Good movement. Harder than expected.
Press w/ belt:
125x1
135x1 @8
125x4 @9
115x4x2
Ugh. Felt crappy til last back off sets.
Pull-ups: 7 reps
Are pull-ups easier with fat bar? These felt easy.
Was supposed to do lever rows but had calls all morning and had to squeeze this session in under 45 mins.
Guess I'll just become a complete kgcel
8/23/24: w6d3
DL w/belt:
160x1
170x1 @7.5
175x1 @8.5
160x4 @9
152.5x4
Decimal points. Lol. What a ******ed system. Lol Europe.
2ct Pause Bench:
75x3
77.5x3
80x3
75x3
2ct Pause HBBS:
80x8 @7
85x8 @8
90x8 @9
Dece session.
8/26/24: w7d1 KILOGRAMS
HBBS w/belt:
125x1
135x1 @8
125x4 @8.5
115x4x2
Bench:
80x1
85x1 @8.5
77.5x4 @9
72.5x4x3
2" deficit DL (no straps!)
125x3
130x3x2
135x3x2
Had to rush those deficit pulls so kept it light and took 1 min breaks.
8/28/24: w7d2
Pin HBBS (straps):
110x3 @7
115x3 @8
120x3 @9
110x3x2
Press w/belt:
55x1 @ez
60x1 @7.5-8
62.5 @9.5 wtf
55x4 @8.5
52.5x4x3
Rep work feels good top singles are ASS lately.
DB Rows (lbs):
60x10
70x10, 10, 8 @8s
8/30/24: w7d3
DL w/belt:
170x1
180x1 @8-8.5
165x4 @9
155x4x2 @8ish
Felt good.
2ct pause bench:
75x3 @6.5-7
77.5x3 @7.5
82.5x3 @10 lol
75x3x2
Heaviest set my setup was awful and I knew it but was too lazy to start over.
2ct Paused HBBS:
80x8
100x8 @9 whoops
90x8x2 @8ish
Dece sesh. Little tiring.
180 @8ish DL pretty effing legit weighing 78ish kilos. Maybe a 200kg pull in sight by Xmas?
Legit using power bar and comp plates too.
9/2/24: w8d1
HBBS w/belt:
125x1
140x1 @7.5
130x5 @9
120x4x3
Surprised it moved so well. 140 was light and did an extra rep at 130 to hit the @9 target.
Bench:
80x1 @7
82.5x1 @7.5
85x1 @8
80x4 @9
72.5x4x4
Good.
Too lazy to do deficit deadlifts.
This is the last week of the bridge. I will probably do a random pivot week then shift into higher rep stuff. Singles take too long.
9/4/24: w8d2
Strap HBBS:
110x3 @7
115x3 @7. 5-8
122.5x3 @9
110x3
Press w/belt:
55x1
60x1 @8
57.5x4 @9
50x6
50x4
Not quite to plan only had 45 mins.
Def doing higher reps no singles training for foreseeable future. Too slow.
9/7/24: w8d3
DL w/belt:
170x1
180x1 @8.5
165x5 @9
155x4x3
Rep work goes a lot better. Hit an extra rep at 165 to make it @9.
2ct pause bench:
70x3 (wu, ez)
80x3x2 @8,8.5
82.5x3 @9.5
75x3
Too lazy to squat
I have been lifting but schedule got a bit wonky.
Making up next program as I go which will suck obv.
9/23/24:
HBBS w/belt:
115x6 @7
105x8 @7
90x12 @6ish
Bench:
70x5 @7.5 (wtf)
60x8 @7 (flatback)
50x12 @7.5-8 (flatback)
Bent Row:
70x5x3
9/24/24:
Press w/belt:
50x6 @7.5
45x8 @7
40x10 (amrap-ish)
DL w/belt:
150x6
RDL (no belt):
140x4
120x8
Had a x12 set scheduled but realized I'd die. Next week.
DB Incline:
60s x5 lol
50s x10
40s x8
That's it!
Already hating training like that. Ditching it lol.
Been enjoying this guy Will Ratelle on YouTube. Very solid info. I'm gonna start copying him. Time to be a real athlete well into my 40s.
Today:
Press (no belt) :
As many triples with 55kg as possible in 12 minutes.
55x3x6
Sumo DL (no belt):
140x6
120x6x2
Some pull ups.
45mins
Srpe: wgaf
Basically the idea is stop following very strict set / rep schemes, stop switching too many variables at once.
Do start rotating exercises more frequently. Hit things like density sets, amraps, etc.
Focus on conditioning.
For aging, power production is a better indicator of health than max limit strength.
I get bored / tired by the third lift too often. So I'm just going to shoot for two lifts per session, and if I'm feeling good hit some fluff after (curls, back, whatever)..
I live next to a nice park with some hills going to start using that on conditioning days.
9/28/24: athletic conditioning
Set a stopwatch and decided to just do some stuff for 20 mins.
Few warm up jogs up a hill. Then did 5 hill sprints at like 80% intensity I'd guess. Hard to say haven't sprinted in so long.
Did these with a 20yard light jog leading into the hill.
Found a rock about 2 feet high to jump off and land. Did 3.
Then two broad jumps.
Fun.
#crossfit #parkour #freerunning
9/30/24:
HBBS w/belt:
120x6 @8
100x8x2 @ kinda ez
CGBP:
Density set. 13 minutes
70x4x4
70x3
Couldve grinded a 4th but passed
10/2/24:
DL w/belt:
140x6 @7.5-8
120x8x2
Jeez felt heavy. Was planning on 150-155.
Press w/belt:
52.5x4 @8
45x8 @9
45x6 @8
Jeeeez. Was supposed to be for 6.
One of the worst sessions ever. Oh well.
Night lifting?
10/7/24:
HBBS w/belt:
120x5
120x7
Press w/belt:
50x5
50x6
Dead hang pull-ups between all sets. 4 solid reps
32 mins
More night lifting. Black woman squatting my DL sets very cool not emasculating or anything.
10/8/24:
DL w/belt:
Worked up to
150x5 @8
Dips: 2 sets of 9 @8
Quick and easy
I should probably lift consistently. Wouldn't that be something.
I truth I hate bodybuilding I'm just gonna do the big lifts and do a fair bit of conditioning.
I had a very rough past month but got to the gym today. Squatted and pressed. Numbers don't matter.
Still need to figure out if I can make morning lifting consistent. Tough these days. Might go back to nights.