Topshelf's Starting Strength Journal
 

Well, after reading through Hunt0r's journal last week I decided I should start my own. Figure it should keep me motivated and hopefully if there's any flaws in my routine someone will comment. I'm 4 weeks into the routine already and have put on exactly 10lbs, but I'm not sure if any of it is muscle. lol I started at 165lbs and now am at 175lbs, but the stomach has increased in size too. But from what I understand I have to eat like a maniac to get bigger, and then I can cut down when I'm at my goal. I'd like to get to a relatively lean 185lbs which should look decent on my lanky 5'11" frame. I've always been VERY thin, so the fact that I'm up 10lbs already is good news. I use the FatTrack digital body fat calipers to keep an eye on things. I don't think they are very accurate, but as long as they are consistent it will do fine. I measured 12.5%bf yesterday which is up from 11.75%, but I don't think that's right as I would think I'd be a lot tighter at either of those numbers. Anyway, I'm doing the basic Rippetoe routine and eating as much as I can handle while trying to keep it clean.


Workout A
3x5 Squat - 135 lbs
3x5 Bench Press - 135 lbs (only 3 reps on 3rd set)
1x5 Deadlift - 155 lbs
Dips - 10/7
Vertical Leg Raise - 15/15

Pretty happy with today's workout as both the Bench and the Dead were the most I've ever done. I think I can move the squat up to 140 Wednesday as well, but I seem to lose form if I bump up too quickly, so we'll see. For some reason I have a tendency to lean forward and push off of my toes, so I've really been trying to focus on staying on my heels. I don't think my numbers are going to be going up very fast as I'm not a big guy to start with, but this is the most I've ever done in the 15 years of off and on pointless workouts, so I'll take what I can get. OK, that's enough for today's entry. lol

Goodluck on this program and good job starting a journal. Just make sure you stay with this routine and eat a lot of clean food. You should see a good increase in strength and size.

Thanks man. Trying to eat as much as possible, but I constantly feel full. That's tough for a guy who basically only eats to survive. lol

So I just finished day 2. Things went pretty well actually. I added 10lbs to the squat and got all 3 sets, but man were they tough at the end. Form didn't seem too bad either, so hopefully a week at this level and I can try adding some more weight. One thing I wasn't sure about is if it's OK to use the weight belt during bent over rows? I always felt a little awkward doing them, so today I threw the belt on and it really seemed to help out. Infact, it's the most I've ever done and I think I can easily add more weight next time. Hopefully my pull up numbers will go up as I was a little disappointed there.

Workout B
3x5 Squat - 145 lbs
3x5 Overhead Press - 75 lbs
3x5 Row - 105 lbs
Pull Ups - 4/3

Oh, I think I'm going to look for some kind of workout shoe. I had a problem were I was leaning forward alot during the squat, so I was trying to figure out where I was going wrong yesterday with an empty bar. I did it in my flip flops and noticed an immediate improvement. So I think my sneakers have too much of a heel and are forcing me forward.

I have always been taught to only use the belts on your heaviest lifts. So you might want to lower the weight to where it doesnt require a belt and then work your way up to a weight where you need to use the belt. That way you dont become dependent on it. As for the shoes, I was having issues of my own due to an ankle surgery I had earlier this year. I bought some shoes made specifically for lifting and they helped out a ton! I bought them off of Amazon.com and here are what they look like:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/8...ture001jg8.jpg

The brand is called Otomix...go check them out.

Thanks hunt0r. I was going to check out some wrestling shoes tomorrow since they seemed to be very flat, but those Otomix shoes seem to have a solid sole under them. I guess I could either try to do it half assed, or just buy a pair of shoes designed specifically for lifting. Doesn't look like there's any local stores that sell those either. I'll just order a set up and hope for the best. Thanks for the info.

Yeah, if you're going to spend the money may as well get weight lifting shoes. Which Otomix shoe is it you got, Hunter?

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Train...5465030&sr=8-2

Otomix M/F4444 Ultimate Trainer Fitness, Weight Lifting, Gym & Workout Shoes

hunt0r, are they right about going a half size larger than normal? Just wanted to know before placing an order.

Well I normally wear a size 13 shoe and I didnt want to buy a size 14 shoe cause 13's are big enough and I didnt want to look like I was wearing clown shoes in the gym! So I bought the 13s and they fit fine, actually a little loose in the toes.

They don't seem to come in half sizes when you get to the larger ones. Perhaps it's not as much of a problem with those sizes. All the different places I've seen advertising them make a point of the half size warning and I've read a couple reviews where the buyer confirmed that the half size larger worked. What Hunter said makes sense, of course, not to by a whole size larger but I would listen to them if you wear a smaller size that have the half sizes available.

Thanks, I'm between a 10 and a 10.5 usually. So I guess I'll try the 11 out as the 10.5 might be a little too snug.

Just completed Week 4/Day 3. Gotta admit, it felt like a really good workout. No increases today, but I felt strong during the lifts, so I think I can sneak some tiny plates on next week. Couple of quick questions though.

1) Can/Should I be wearing a belt during the Deadlift?
2) Is that too many dips? Should I start adding some weight and get them into the 5 rep range?
3) Monday I'll be doing the Bent over Row. It's my least liked exercise for some reason. Is there anything else that's as good or better I could substitute in? Oh and I started finishing that workout off with pullups, is that OK?

Workout A
3x5 Squat - 145 lbs
3x5 Bench Press - 135 lbs
1x5 Deadlift - 155 lbs
Dips - 12/10
Vertical Leg Raise - 15/15

Another workout completed. Considering I wasn't feeling 100% going in, it wasn't bad. Think I'm gonna throw another 5 or 10lbs on the squat later this week. That overhead press is a bear though. I'm gonna be stuck at this weight for a while I think. And why the hell are pull ups so difficult? lol

Workout B
3x5 Squat - 145 lbs
3x5 Overhead Press - 75 lbs
3x5 Row - 115 lbs
Pull Ups - 4/3

Oh, quick somewhat comical story...So I'm now up 14lbs from when I started a month ago, but I haven't really noticed the difference in myself. I look like I'm filling out a bit, but by no means do I look muscular. Anyway, I had to go to a dinner party Saturday night and ran into a strange problem while getting dressed. I couldn't fit into any of my dress shirts! lol I could get them on, but they looked ridiculous. I actually had to stop off on the way and buy a new shirt.:D The pants were tight too, but I just dealt with that. Guess it's hard to see the gains when you're looking at yourself.

1) Can/Should I be wearing a belt during the Deadlift?

No.

2) Is that too many dips? Should I start adding some weight and get them into the 5 rep range?

Whether they are too many is entirely up to you. But no they really don't need ot be in the five rep range.

3) Monday I'll be doing the Bent over Row. It's my least liked exercise for some reason. Is there anything else that's as good or better I could substitute in? Oh and I started finishing that workout off with pullups, is that OK?


Well personally I think it'd be great if you just concentrated on pullups/chinups for a while. They are every bit as important an exercise as rows and I'm on a personal mission to get them the recognition they deserve :)Also you could alternate the rows and pullups so you could get more out of both. However, I know you asked about using a belt on the rows. Which at 105 pounds would be silly. I suspect it's your form. Are you keeping your lower back set (keeping a tight natural arch)? Are you trying to go too low as far as parallel? You upper body should be as low as possible while still keeping your lower back set which usually means there is a slight angle with your shoulders a little higher than your hips. Any other thoughts as to what is giving you problems?

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Congrats on the gains! And the numbered question format is a good idea. Makes it really easy to respond :) And sorry for the late reply. I was thinking someone else might comment....

Thanks for the reply Eric. I actually meant to ask about wearing the belt during the Row, not the Dead. I'm sure the problem is my form. That exercise wasn't discussed in Rip's book, so I'm just working off of what feel right. And if reading his book has taught me anything, it's that I have no idea what a life should feel like. lol Tomorrow I'll try to do some research on proper Row technique. I also believe that my limited flexibility is a contributing factor. I really need to read that post of yours, I just haven't had time lately. Maybe I'll print it out tonight so I can read it on the train tomorrow.

So far though I've been extremely impressed with this workout, and the help from everyone here has been amazing. I just wish part of bulking didn't involve the belly. :D

That had been my thought as well. The hams and lower back will be the most obvious contributers as far as flexibility but the whole lower body will play a part. Actually I noticed a little article on another site about parallel rows and the writer had a good way of putting it....during rows the back will feel stressed. And that is OK. But there should not be discomfort. Stress is fine, discomfort is not.

If your belly is getting too fat then your probably need to cut back somewhere.

Well, after 6 days off I finally got back into the gym today. I hurt my lower back last Tuesday moving 21" monitors around, they're about 85lbs each. They were awkwardly high, and I bent too far back while carrying one of them. Not sure exactly what I did, but I've never injured my back before, and I didn't really care for it. It wasn't in extreme pain, but it felt odd, so I decided it would be best to give it a few days to heal up. It's not 100% yet, but I couldn't take not lifting anymore. So I'm not sure if that week off affected my strength, or I was a little cautious, but I had a hard time today with weights that I did the previous week.

Workout A
3x5 Squat - 145 lbs
3x5 Bench Press - 135 lbs (Only 3 reps on last set)
1x5 Deadlift - 155 lbs

I also skipped everything else as I didn't want to overdue it today.

Feels good to be back into the gym again. Bumped the squat up 5lbs today and was shocked how much heavier that felt. I definitely need to stay here for a few workouts as I always seem to lose a little form when I bump up. I also dropped the row by 10lbs to make sure my form is good and my pull-ups went up. Not sure why, but I'll take it. lol Overall, things felt good and the back is getting better. I still need to start adding some heavy ab work and finish reading up on the stretching...the more I read, the more confused I get.

Workout B
3x5 Squat - 150 lbs
3x5 Overhead Press - 75 lbs
3x5 Row - 105 lbs
Pull Ups - 6/5

Hey, man, once you finish reading about all the stretching if you still are confused then just ask some specific questions and I'll try to answer them if I can.

Also I think you should look at some of the suggestions I made in Hunter's journal in regards to rows and pullups. It may help you out in the long run.

Thanks Eric, I'll try to read through Hunt0r's thread this weekend. I know we're on the same workout, so I'm probably running into the same issues he is. I just completed another workout today that went well, but I'm starting to get a little frustrated. Both my body weight and my weights seem to have hit a wall. I put 15lbs on the first month, most of which was muscle. But since then I haven't added any more mass. I'm guessing I most likely need to eat more which sucks, I'm already full most of the time, but I want more size!!! :D I'm gonna do a food analysis this weekend. Maybe if I post up what I eat someone can point out some obvious faults. Anyway....

Workout A
3x5 Squat - 150 lbs
3x5 Bench Press - 135 lbs (Only 4 reps on last set)
1x5 Deadlift - 175 lbs
Dips 13/10

I added 20lbs to the Dead today and think I can still add more weight. So maybe that will help with adding some bulk too. I also upped my dips by a few which is nice. I have a weight vest in the garage, gonna grab that for next week so I can start adding some weight to those.

Workout B
Squat
3x5 - 150lbs

Overhead Press
2x5 - 85lbs
1x3 - 85lbs

Row
3x5 - 115lbs

Pull Ups - 5/4

Incline Crunches
2x12

Workout A
Squat
3x5 - 150lbs

Bench
2x5 - 135lbs
1x4 - 135lbs

Dead
1x5 - 185lbs

Dips +10lbs - 8/4

Man, I felt tired all day and it really showed in the gym. I was struggling like crazy to get my lifts in. Sure hope Friday is a better day.

Workout B
Squat
3x5 - 150lbs

Overhead Press
3x5 - 85lbs

Row
3x5 - 115lbs

Pull Ups - 6/5

Workout A
Squat
3x5 - 155lbs

Bench
3x5 - 135lbs

Dead
1x5 - 185lbs

Dips +10lbs - 10/6

I don't know if I wasn't feeling 100% today or if adding a measly 5lbs to a squat can really make that big a difference, but man did that feel heavy. Other than that everything else went fine. I've also started adding a few hundred more calories to my diet because I stopped growing. Hopefully this will help.

the extra calories will help. What's your weight now ?

I'm at 182lbs now, which is good considering I started at 165lbs. But I hit the 180 mark weeks ago. I've been reading the nutrition forum and found a few mistakes I was making with my diet. So I'm adding more calories, but I need to find higher calorie foods because I just can't shove anymore food down.

it gets damn tiring shoving food in your mouth 24/7 doesn't it :)

Dude, seriously! :D I constantly feel like I'm on the verge of puking. I've been eating a lot of chicken, turkey, eggs and skim milk, but I just switched over to whole milk which is double the calories. And I think I'm gonna go back to red meat, atleast during the bulking phase as that should be more calories than chicken. I don't know how you big guys do it. lol

What are your daily fats at right now? Peanut butter can jack your calories up pretty quick. Or olive oil.

I can relate to this...a few times I have added 5 pounds and it felt like 20 pounds, but then my strength would go up after a few workouts at that weight and it would become easier. Gotta keep pushing it!

It was at about 88g per day which was a little low for the 3400 calories a day I was eating. Just by switching to whole milk though I'm now getting about 136g per day and 3700 calories. That's about 35% and adds about 300 calories, but I don't know if that's gonna be enough to help me break through this point. Might have to start adding some Whoppers or something into the diet. lol


Thanks Hunter. I'll keep pushing. It's just tough sometimes because even though I got the weight up, I know my form my off on a few reps. So I think I spend too much time making sure I can get all 3 sets of 5 perfect before adding weight. But then again, if the form isn't correct.......

That's smart. Most guys want to just get into the gym and start lifting the heavy weights that the biggest guys at the gym lift. Very dangerous like too many days straight of binge drinking, something's bound to go wrong :alcoholic:

Yeah having proper form is really important, but so is pushing yourself in the gym. I see some guys who do way less then what they are capable of doing and basically never get bigger. I wasnt trying to say your not pushing it I just was encouraging you thats all.

I doubt your really spending too much time on that. It's a very smart thing to spend time on like the other's have said. Sometimes what it comes down to is taking a little more time for a long term benefit. Meanwhile you aren't losing much. It's not like you are back sliding.

On the other hand Hunter has a point. Like he said it's not like you're not pushing yourself but you can't always expect every rep to be perfect while strength training. But it becomes a question of whether the last one or two reps were so bad and perhaps cheated that they really should be repeated at the same weight or rather they were just really slow....

In the end maintaining proper form as you're progressing is going to pay off. And it sounds like to me that you already have a sense of what is going on and you are exercising judgement. BTW, if you have a session where you are dubious about form but don't feel it's something that should hold you back from loading the bar it can be beneficial to do some back off sets.

This would be something at perhaps around 65% of your working weight for that day that you did for set that left one or two in the tank. In other words, you do it only as much as you can maintain perfect form. What this does is to maintain proper motor pathways and just simply give you more "practice" doing it with a weight that will not introduce any appreciable extra fatigue. Practice does make perfect!

Thanks guys, and I didn't take it as an insult at all. The thing I love about these journals is the help and motivation from the rest of you guys/gals. The squat progressed pretty well until the 145lb mark, from there it seemed to slow down, and my new goal was to add 5lbs at the beginning of each week figuring 3 days of squatting the same weight should be enough time to get both the strength and form correct. I really think my caloric intake maxed me out as well since my body weight came to a halt at the same time my squat did. So hopefully these additional calories will help push things along again. I'm just afraid I see a pattern already. For years I've wanted to get to 180lbs, now that I did it, I want to get to 200lbs. What happens when I get there? :D

Oh, I was going to take a video of me squatting since I think I have a tendency to lean forward. Would anyone *cough* Eric *cough* be able to take a look at it and let me know if my form is correct? lol

Hmm, while I'm on a roll, I have one more question regarding "pushing it"...When is it time to add weight? For instance, over the last 3 bench press sessions I've added 1 rep to the final set, so I finally got a true 3x5 at 135lbs. How long should I stay at 135lbs before going to 140lbs? Am I better off doing 3x5@135 for another week? Or should I move up even if it means 2x5@140 and then only 1 or 2 reps on the third set?

I know it is time to move up in weight when I am not struggling on my last few reps of my set. As of right now my first three reps go up really strong and then my last two are a fight. When those last two reps arent a battle I usually know its time to up it 5lbs.

Sounds good to me. It could be you are coming to a point where you'll need to switch to weekly progression or something different. If you are progressing on a weekly basis at this point then keep doing it but if it is a case where you are not adding more weight to the bar at least once a week then even you may need a backoff and if that doesn't get you going there could be more efficient ways to train....but food intake for sure is critical.

I'll be happy to study any vid you post. Be prepared though, that if I do see something wrong I will probably need a whole lot of info from you in order to iron it out.

OK, I'm gonna try to make sure I add 5lbs each week to my squat. So far I've been able to get a full 3x5 on all my squats, it's just the form gets a little sloppy towards the end. So I'm going to really push myself and continue to increase my calories to see if that helps as well. I'll try to take a vid tomorrow, although I might not like the critique. lol

One last question for tonight...I'm leaving for a 2 week vacation on September 1st. What is my best plan for not losing strength? I'll have access to a pool, but no gym. I was actually thinking those 2 weeks would be good for me since it will be week 10 of my training and would give me a little time to recoup. But I don't want to do nothing for 2 weeks and then hit the gym and be all weak again.

Wait a minute now if your gonna take it personally I might better not do it :biglaugh:. No, trust me nothing you could be doing could be worse than what MOST people do as a matter of course. The fact that you are taking the time and asking the questions, THAT is what make you smart, not how well you might or might not be doing right now.

In two weeks you will drop a little strength. Nothing major and it will be quickly regained. Do pushups and any other kind of fullbody work you can do. You could do bw lunges and stuff like that. Anything to let your body know it ain't over. It's better than nothing. But try to have a decent vacation :) and certainly you don't need to be doing stuff at full frequency. A little time to recoup could help but when you get back you might want to drop the weights back just a little bit.

Workout B
Squat
3x5 - 155lbs

Overhead Press
3x5 - 85lbs

Row
3x5 - 125lbs

Pull Ups - 7/5

Alright, just completed what should have been yesterday's workout, but I was having a rough day and felt very weak. Kinda funny story, I actually started my workout and realized things weren't going to be good during the warmup since even those felt heavy. But I thought I would press on and be a man. So somewhat out of it I load the bar up for my first set of squats, get under the bar, squat down and basically just stayed there. I couldn't get any upward movement going. So I just racked the bar and said screw it. So today I heaed down stairs to start the workout and noticed that instead of 155 on the bar, I had 185!!! No wonder I couldn't get moving. :slap: lol Maybe it was a good thing I called it quits yesterday. :D Anyway, I took a few vids and will get them up soon. I'm going to be very curious to hear about these because I think I spotted a few mistakes already.