[noahfor]

I keep a training log on another site, but I'm going to start one here because I like the site. I really get a sense that it is a little community. I have a problem ever really feeling or getting personally involved in any sort of group, so I'll probably never actually be involved in it. I always feel like I'm standing outside of the circle, or that people think I'm standing outside of the circle for some reason. Oh well. My other log never gets any responses. I think it's because it's so incredibly dry. This one will be the same way - very very dry.

I've been training for close to three years recreationally, but I don't really feel like I knew what I was doing or where I was going until I read Practical Programming about six months ago. I had done good routines like Westside, and used good exercises, but I never really understood when I was supposed to add weight, or how much, or for how long. I just kind of crossed my fingers and hoped for improvement. I'm a big fan of Rippetoe because he explains why. After reading his stuff I feel like I know things not just becauae that's what some authority figure has said, but because I have an understanding.

I've made my best progress using the Madcow Starr's 5x5 and Rippetoe's Starting Strength. A few months ago I was trying to find my 5 rep max for squats, and I put 245 on the bar, went down and could not get back up. Although I had previously done 315, at that time, I really couldn't do 245. It's been like 2 months since then and I just squatted 380 on Friday. It was all Starting Strength.

I also recently competed in my first powerlifting competition. My lifts aren't competitive, but I just did it for fun, as a learning experience, and because I knew other people doing it. It was a deadlift and bench only meet. I did a 415 deadlift and benched 240. I was in the 181 raw division.

I'm finished with Starting Strength, and I'm about to start the 5x5 again. According to the spread sheet, I'm going to be strong as fuck in about 18 weeks.

My girlfriend also lifts. She also competed in the meet, at 114 raw. She pulled 285 and benched 125.

[ChaseT.]

You're pretty close to where I was when I stopped doing the Starting Strength routine. Glad you decided to start a log here.

Do all the guys who train at Celli's Fitness have strong girlfriends?

[noahfor]

No, just 6 of us.

[theNuge]

What are your specs? How old are you, what are your goals, what's your sign, etc.?

[noahfor]

Originally Posted by ChaseT.

You're pretty close to where I was when I stopped doing the Starting Strength routine. Glad you decided to start a log here.

Do all the guys who train at Celli's Fitness have strong girlfriends?

Speaking of where you are when you stop SS, do you know if it is an indicator of genetic potential? And, do you know how much progress you're supposed to make in the intermediate phase compared to the novice phase? It's slower progress, but it's a longer period. Have you read practical programming?

[ChaseT.]

Originally Posted by noahfor

Speaking of where you are when you stop SS, do you know if it is an indicator of genetic potential? And, do you know how much progress you're supposed to make in the intermediate phase compared to the novice phase? It's slower progress, but it's a longer period. Have you read practical programming?

Genetic potential has a big part in it, but how much you eat makes a huge difference too. Since you can't do anything about your genetics, I think it's best to focus on eating. I went from just below 170lbs to 180lbs while I was doing the Starting Strength program. I think I could have stayed on it longer if I had been more patient and had eaten more. I'm up just over 200 now and have continued to make pretty decent gains. I've read both Starting Strength (1st edition) and Practical Programming.

April 2007
BW: 180
Squat: 335x5x3
Bench Press: 195x5x3 (touch and go)
Deadlift: 365x5x2, 450x1

August 2007
BW: 194
Squat: 441
Bench Press: 240 (paused)
Deadlift: 531

April 2007
BW: 203
Squat: 480
Bench Press: 255 (paused)
Deadlift: 585
My squat and bench are a bit better now, but I haven't maxed those in two months.

[noahfor]

Originally Posted by theNuge

What are your specs? How old are you, what are your goals, what's your sign, etc.?

I'm 5'8, 178lbs, and 24. I don't really have any specific goals. I lift weights because I like lifting weights and getting stronger. I really like the finding information and programs to help my training aspect too. I do want to compete in powerlifting, and that's in my mind as I train, but that's not the sole reason. I'd like to get into olympic lifting as well, but there's not really as much motivation because being competitive in the sport doesn't seem like a real possibility. I go to the University of Pittsburgh - philosophy major, computer science minor. I have only two more weeks left of this semester, and after that I only need to fulfill a language requirement. I actually want to be a personal trainer for a while and then try to get into strength training athletes. I plan on studying for the CSCS test over the summer. I like animals and ****l music.

[noahfor]

So Chase,

April 2007 is when you stopped SS? Did you ever microload your squats or use the front squats on Wednesday? That's a pretty awesome gain on your deadlift from April to August. What was your max squat when you did 335 x 5 x 3?

The thing you said about eating brings up another question I have. Rippetoe says that the reason the novice stops making progress isn't because of the inability to recover but because of the fact that 5x3 is no longer stressful enough to spur progress. If that's the case, then eating wouldn't really matter because it isn't a recovery problem. However, the 5x5 is a tried and true routine for the intermediate, but I don't see how the ramping sets of 5 could be more stressful than 3 sets of 5 across. The fatigue is supposed to accumulate over the week in an intermediate routine, but the week in the 5x5 isn't as stressful as the week in SS, so I don't think that's an explanation.

I never actually stalled on SS. I did a back off before my meet, and was going to go back on it, but decided not to because I figured I wouldn't be able to continue adding 5 pounds per workout as it was getting very difficult to do that. I had originally planned to just add 2.5 pounds per WO, but I noticed that the 5x5 has me adding 8 pounds per week, so I figured I'd just do that.

By the way, how did you come to learn about Celli's?

[ChaseT.]

Originally Posted by noahfor

So Chase,

April 2007 is when you stopped SS? Did you ever microload your squats or use the front squats on Wednesday? That's a pretty awesome gain on your deadlift from April to August. What was your max squat when you did 335 x 5 x 3?

The thing you said about eating brings up another question I have. Rippetoe says that the reason the novice stops making progress isn't because of the inability to recover but because of the fact that 5x3 is no longer stressful enough to spur progress. If that's the case, then eating wouldn't really matter because it isn't a recovery problem. However, the 5x5 is a tried and true routine for the intermediate, but I don't see how the ramping sets of 5 could be more stressful than 3 sets of 5 across. The fatigue is supposed to accumulate over the week in an intermediate routine, but the week in the 5x5 isn't as stressful as the week in SS, so I don't think that's an explanation.

By the way, how did you come to learn about Celli's?

I did the SS program from January through April. I did microload with 5/8lb washers and started substituting front squat on the deadlift days. I switched to a 5x5 spreadsheet routine for two months because my bench press stalled out. I should have reset and kept going, since my squat and deadlift hadn't stalled yet, but I decided I was an "intermediate" now and wanted to try something different. I don't think I ever got to the point where the 5x3 was an insufficient stressor to continue producing gains. I gave up on it too soon.

If your program is only ramping 5x5 and there is no 5x5 with a single weight, I'd change routines. The day with a single weight for 5x5 is supposed to be the "stressor" session and the ramping day is supposed to be working to a new 5RM PR to display the strength that you built with the 5x5 for sets across.

[ChaseT.]

Fei posted some of Natty's pictures on T-Nation and then there was a thread that had pictures of Ryan's gym. I also watched Ryan's videos from the Raw Unity meet.