Bikes and Barbells: failure it's always an option.

[Viskovitz]

After 2 months of following a stupid BB routine that got me nowhere I discover that Sherdog had a S&C forum, and thanks to the FAQ and SS now I know what I'm doing in the weight room and actually enjoy it (a bit, at least!).

Lifting out of: Spain. That means I live in the civilized world were lbs and miles don't exist.

Height: 1,90 m. Weight: 95 kg. Fat around my belly, getting rid of it through the summer.

5RM max at the start of this log:
Squat: 82.5 kg
DL: 120 kg
BP: 52.5
Press: 35
PC: 55

Little bio: played basket throughout high school until is was 19. Then I did almost nothing until 2 years ago when i started playing squash and cycling regularly. Started lifting weights last spring with a stupid BB routine. In September I followed a bastardized version of SS with little weight and bad form, then read the book, and started the log.

Strenght training history:

Did Starting Strenght for 4.5 months. Those were the results:

Then did avariation of 5/3/1 till I fucked my back and didn't lift throug the summer. Now I'm on Candito Linear Program and it's great.


2016 Goals:
- Don't hurt myself being stupid. Prevent injury. Avoid aches while cycling.
- Stop being a skinny fatass with no strength whatsoever.
- Faster on the bike (that's a "big" goal).
- Doing my first 200km ride.
- Squat 100kg, DL 150 kg-> done. Squating 125 and DL 175 next step (I'm very conservative now with my deadlifts... so I don't think I'll get there)
- Being able to complete proper chins, pullups and pushups --> Chinup x3 done! Next, 10 chins. --> Done. 2016... don't know, maybe 20kg+ chins?
- Bodyweight bench press (90kg).

 

[Viskovitz]

Today: 10,5 km on the bike, 35 minutes. Somehow a tooth on the ring got bent so the chain constantly come off and I went home. It wasn't even a workout.

 

[SexyMahnaz]

Today: 10,5 km on the bike, 35 minutes. Somehow a tooth on the ring got bent so the chain constantly come of and I went home. I wasn't even a workout.

Nice pics. I like taking my bike out too when I get the chance, lots of nice tracks here.

Good luck with your goals.

 

[Viskovitz]

Today:

5 minutes rowing machine, general warm up.

Squat:
5x2x20kg
5x40
4x55
2x70
5x3x82,5 walk in the park really, solved my issues with technique and squats feel great again.

OHP:
5x2x10kg
5x15
3x22,5
2x27,5
5x3x35 - wanted to do sets of 6 to progress since the last day (did 3x5x35 too), but I forgot in the 1st set and failed miserably in the other 2. Will give 37,5 kg a go next time.

Power Cleans:
4x2x20 kg
4x30
3x40
2x50
3x5x60 struggle a little in the first 2 sets. Then I remembered to rotate the elbows at the bottom and the bar started to fly. Those felt great.

Assisted chin-ups in machine: bodyweight 93 kg, took 35kg off: 6(or 7?)-5-5

 

[calvus]

Nice biking pics! Had to google what squash was

Welcome to the logs.

 

[AlVThom]

All the best with your goals!

 

[Viskovitz]

Thank you guys!

Calvus, not many people play squash, It's quick, explosive, fun, and a hell of a workout. My lower back, glutes and hams used to end up very beaten after playing, that's the first thing that lifting really did for me.

Anyway, little video from today's session. Place was packed so I couldn’t record like I wanted to. Squat and OHP:

 

[Viskovitz]

17-12-2014

Bike commute to the gym: 30', going there is slightly uphill so that's my warm up. Coming back home is fast and easy.

Squat:
5x2x20 kg
5x40
3x57,5
2x72,5
Work sets: 5x3x85 no much of a problem

Bench Press:
5x2x20 kg
5x30
3x40
2x47,5
Work sets: 5x2x55 and 4x55 failed the last rep!

Deadlift:
5x50 kg
4x70
2x90
1x110
Work set: 5x125 grip starting to fail, changing to over/under next DL day.

Ab work: 3x12 leg raises in vertical bench. (used to do weighted decline sit-ups once a week but my lower back didn't like it much and DOMS lasted for 4 days, so that's out and leg raises are in).

Little bath in the pool to relax after the hard work. 4 laps (25 m each) just to do something.

-------------------

Video, squats and bench press 1st work set, any comment on technique would be welcome!

 

[Viskovitz]

Bike commute 30'

Squat:
5x2x20
5x40
3x60
2x75
5x3x87,5 not much of a problem

OHP:
5x2x10
5x15
3x22,5
2x30
5x37,5 + 4x2x37,5 better than expected, should be able to complete all 5x3 next day.

Power Clean:
4x2x20
3x30
3x40
2x52,5
Work sets with 65Kg where a mess.
-1st set: 1 failed, 2 done, 1 failed
-2nd set: 3 done
-3rd set: 2 done 1 failed
-4th set: failed the first one and call it a day not wanted to risk hurting myself.

Technique isn't consistent enough, so completing the clean was a coin toss. Should've chose a lighter weight too. Next day I'm gonna try 3x5x62,5 I think.

Assisted chin-ups: 30 kg off, 3-3-3

 

[JauntyAngle]

Welcome to the logs! That bike route looks great.

On your squat, you should take a video side-on, it's a lot easier to see what is going on. That being said, it looks like your knees might be tracking too far forward. It's hard to say for sure because of the angle, though. I think your upper body needs to be straighter and tighter too.

 

[Viskovitz]

Welcome to the logs! That bike route looks great.

On your squat, you should take a video side-on, it's a lot easier to see what is going on. That being said, it looks like your knees might be tracking too far forward. It's hard to say for sure because of the angle, though. I think your upper body needs to be straighter and tighter too.

Thanks! Going to try to film my squat side-on next time.

 

[Viskovitz]

1 hour squash + 16 laps in the pool (25m).

 

[Viskovitz]

Cycling: 82 km, 3h 30m, 23,5 km/h, mostly plain terrain -> http://www.sports-tracker.com/workout/viskovitz/54981c76e4b05b7a519ef57e

Went to the Hoces de Vegacervera and back, with a coffee stop and some pics. Really cold in places, but beautiful winter day, sunny and no wind. It's been 3 months or more since the last rime I rode more than 1 and a half hours, so by the end I was a little too tired, but good day anyway.

Squating is working, i was almost home when the chain could not manage my incredible power any more and snapped clean in half! Some would say that's because I'm a cheap bastard who didn't replace the ring and the chain the other day when I should have, but I know the truth.

That's a "Ramo Leones", typical Christmas ornament in Le

 

[AlVThom]

Very nice pictures!

 

[Viskovitz]

Very nice pictures!

Thanks Al! There will be a lot of pics of my bike in places in this log, that's for sure. Everyone laughs at my phone (Nokia N8) but it has a badass camera!

 

[Viskovitz]

After 4 days and less than optimal recovery, i didn't have much confidence heading into the gym, but it wasn't bad.

5 min rowing machines.

Squat: 5x2x20, 5x40, 3x50, 2x75
Work sets: 5 x 3 x 90 kg

Almost killed myself in the 3rd rep of the last workset, did have to take a little step with the right foot on my way up. The knee felt funny right after it but no harm done, luckily.

Bench: 5x2x20, 5x30, 3x40, 2x47,5
Work sets: 5 x 55 kg + 4 x 2 x 55kg

In the last rep of the 2nd and 3rd set, the spotter helped, so I failed again at 55kg. Reset incoming!

DL: 5x50, 4x70, 2x90 mixed grip-> 2x110
Work set: 5 x 130 kg

First time using the alternate grip, the bicep definitely feels the work but everything went ok.

Ab work: 1xbunch straight leg raises in vertical bench + 2x5 knee raises in wall bars.

Progressing to wall bars because vertical bench felt way too easy and in the chin-up bar i just swing all over the place and can't do shit.

P.S.: Didn't take videos, no batteries in the camera.

 

[Viskovitz]

I love graphs. And spreadsheets. So i couldn't resist. 2 months of Starting Strength (going to bed now, I'll put power cleans in there another day).

All the weirdness in the squat has an explanation so feel free to ask

 

[MilkManUK]

Nice work, I like the graph.

 

[Viskovitz]

Nice work, I like the graph.

Thanks MilkMan. I'm planning on updating it every month, should be cool with a year worth of data.

Anyway, i'm posting because my wrist are hurting a lot, yesterday and today. Yes, I'm gripping the bar all wrong while benching and pressing. Fixing that next workout.

 

[Viskovitz]

Felt like crap today, I suppose that's Christsmas talking. I got it done and that's the important thing.

Squat: 5x2x20, 5x40, 3x60, 2x75
Work sets: 3 sets 92,5 kg. Reps: 5-4f-3

Failed the 5th in the 2nd set, then didn't feel like pushing any more and did just 3 in the last one. Booo me. Anyway, 92,5 is almost my bodyweight so that's nice.

SOHP: 5x2x10, 5x15, 3x22,5, 2x30
Work sets: 3 sets 37,5 kg. Reps: 5-5-4f

Cleaning the weight before pressing to let other people squat.

PC: 5x30, 3x40, 3x50
Work sets: 5 sets x 4 x 57,5 kg

Little less weight than last day, throwing more reps there focusing on technique. Better, but by the end of this I was out of energy.

Assisted chin-ups: 30 kg off: 3-1-1 Was spent here.