Strength in Interesting Places

[DrBdan]

I had the same reaction to seeing that picture. "That's Bill Starr? what a hippy!"

Good luck with the Starr 5x5. I was gonna do it but chose the Texas Method instead. I think they're both good programs.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I had the same reaction to seeing that picture. "That's Bill Starr? what a hippy!"

Good luck with the Starr 5x5. I was gonna do it but chose the Texas Method instead. I think they're both good programs.

Thanks, Dr Bdan. I'm really exicted about the programme. It's almost exactly how I want to lift weights. If my back gets better as fast I think it will now, I might even start it next week.

 

[dinpappa]

Haha, Best picture ever! Its actually so good that:

a) its my facebook pic
b) its saved for future use
c) i printed it our and hung it on our top 5 lists billboard at the gym for everyone to see

Keep it up, looking forward to reading a bill starr 5x5 log

 

[JauntyAngle]

Haha, Best picture ever! Its actually so good that:

a) its my facebook pic
b) its saved for future use
c) i printed it our and hung it on our top 5 lists billboard at the gym for everyone to see

Keep it up, looking forward to reading a bill starr 5x5 log

Cool! Although if you want to print it out, you should grab this version:

http://startingstrength.com/articles/jp_hawaii_cc.jpg

It is almost 3000x2000. As you probably know, that is *really* high resolution, high enough for a really good quality print. The version I linked to was optimized to be like 600x400 or something- okay for screen but not quite good enough for print.

Hoping to oblige very soon with the log. Just wish my back some more rapid recovery.

 

[dinpappa]

Cool! Although if you want to print it out, you should grab this version:

http://startingstrength.com/articles/jp_hawaii_cc.jpg

It is almost 3000x2000. As you probably know, that is *really* high resolution, high enough for a really good quality print. The version I linked to was optimized to be like 600x400 or something- okay for screen but not quite good enough for print.

Hoping to oblige very soon with the log. Just wish my back some more rapid recovery.

I`ll sacrifice a goat for your speedy recovery! You know how we vikings roll!

Thanks for the link!

 

[JauntyAngle]

I`ll sacrifice a goat for your speedy recovery! You know how we vikings roll!

Awesome. That ought to have me squatting and deadlifting again in no time.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

GO JAUNTYANGLE

 

[JauntyAngle]

My back is feeling much better. It still feels a little tender when I arch it, but there is pretty much no stiffness at all when I get up from being seated.

Now it is healing, I actually feel more inclined to be patient with it than I did before. Definitely no squats or deadlifts today, the only thing I have to decide is whether to do BORs. In general they didn't seem to bother my back before, so they would probably be okay. But I have no problem dumping them if it will make my back feel even slightly more awesome when the next week starts (Friday).

Let's see. Maybe just a bunch of bench and assistance work today. If there's no one to spot me, may just do a load of triples to get used to the higher weight I am benching.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Workout

Squats

Back feels so much better. Sat in a bodyweight squat position a few times to stretch a bit. Will need to do this plenty.


Bench

Have you noticed how no one does quadruples? Everyone does fives, and triples, and doubles, and singles, but no one does quadruples. And why not? They have 33% more volume than triples and potentially more intensity than fives. And think of all the good things that come in fours- the Beatles, the seasons, the breasts of nubile nymphomaniac twins...

So with that in mind

85kg: x4, x4, x4, x4, x4, x4

(In addition to the excellent rationale above, I also thought I would try fours because I failed so utterly last time at 85 (4, 4, 2) and I had no spot this time, I thought I wouldn't make five. And as it turned out, fours were great. Did them all without having to really strain, which meant that I didn't need 5-6 mins rest between each set like I sometimes do. I may repeat the exercise so I get super comfortable with the weight.)

Random Stuff

Decided not to do heavy rows to help my back recover, so I did this

Press: 10x30kg
BOR: 10x30kg
Press: 10x30kg
BOR: 10x30kg
Press: 10x30kg
BOR: 10-x30kg

Let's call it technique and muscular endurance work, and pass over the coincidental use of the hypertrophy rep range. These were very quick fire- did first 4 with no rest between, quick rest, finished.

Did a bunch of leg raises between each set of benches and a few to break up the press and BOR. 15-20 per time, some straight, some twisted.

* * * *

I am convinced that the back is getting better. Next week, warmup sets on deadlifts and squats. The squats will be paused. Want to get that feeling of being in the hole with proper lumbar extension right down. I plan on working my way back up to where I was before doing paused squats, well, maybe at least to 100kg. That should be enough to teach my body what it feels like to be down there with some weight on my back.

 

[Justice 4 All]

You make a lot of good points. But I'd hate to do more than 3 sets of anything really. 5 sets of squats? No thanks :-D. But that's just me.

I also like the weekly progression system. I feel that I am more or less doing weekly progression anyway, and I can continue it for a while. And I feel it is too soon for Monthly progression.

I hadn't thought of this. I'll have to reconsider 5/3/1.

 

[DrBdan]

No one does sets of 4 because they aren't a Fibonacci number. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. Those are the money rep ranges

 

[Justice 4 All]

What about 10 and 12? or 20?

 

[JauntyAngle]

You make a lot of good points. But I'd hate to do more than 3 sets of anything really. 5 sets of squats? No thanks :-D. But that's just me.



I hadn't thought of this. I'll have to reconsider 5/3/1.

5 sets across of heavy squats does sound pretty brutal. But ramped sets is different. With the Bill Starr/Madcow you ramp the sets up 10% to your work set weight, so if your full work set weight was 110kg, the set sequence would be

75kgx5
83kgx5
91kgx5
100kgx5
110kgx5

From my memory of doing 3x5 at 110kg, and I think this sounds easier.

BTW... you'll notice that lately I've been doing sets across of 5 (or 4 for my last bench workout) with my pushing (all this extra time with my back injury and no squats or deads). What I have found is that if the sets aren't burning you out (like you're battling for multiple reps of every set) it is no problem to do 5 sets.

 

[JauntyAngle]

No one does sets of 4 because they aren't a Fibonacci number. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. Those are the money rep ranges

True. That's why I often do sets of 53,316,291,173 across.

 

[DrBdan]

What about 10 and 12? or 20?

madness!

 

[JauntyAngle]

Cardio

What the hell? Cardio? This is meant to be the day you would bench, and then also do some warmup work on squats and deadlifts. Why the hell are you doing cardio?

Well, when I got to the gym, there were two young Sudanese guys doing quarter squats with 50kg on the bench. Yes, that

 

[JauntyAngle]

No reaction from my back! Proper weights are on, baby!

 

[MIDMOBOX]

I understand being excited but I would have went for a pic more like this

 

[JauntyAngle]

Well, I was going for an image of someone more like me (a middle aged man who wears a suit a lot). Much as I appreciate pictures of busty women in bikinis, that is much less like me.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

well do you play tennis