Sam's Strength Training Journal

[sosso]

Thanks, I sure will!

This Rippetoe's routine is really good and his videos have been a big help, especially this one

[sosso]

Squat
2 x 5 x 60 kg / 132 lb
3 x 5 x 85 kg / 187 lb

Clean
5 x 3 x 40 kg / 88 lb

Press
3 x 5 x 35 kg / 77 lb

My left shoulder/lat has been a bit sore so I dropped the weight on the press. I don't really know why it's getting sore.. unless I'm moving it slightly different to my right side because it's weaker

[sosso]

Food today

Breakfast
Oats, banana & rice milk
A handful of dates
Water
Vitamins

Snack
Peanut butter on whole grain bread
An apple
Water

Lunch
Huge bowl of quinoa, chick peas, tomatoes & hommus
Water
An orange

Snack
Two burritos with lentils & spinach
Water

Dinner
Big plate of mixed beans, carrots, tomatoes & pasta
Water

[sosso]

Squat
1 x 5 x 60 kg / 132 lb
1 x 5 x 70 kg / 154 lb
3 x 5 x 85 kg / 187 lb

I did one set of 5 x 90 kg / 198.5 lb but by then my legs were tired and sore

Dumbbell Bench Press
1 x 8 x 20 kg / 44 lb
3 x 5 x 26 kg / 57 lb

Left side is noticeably weaker than right..

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 5 x 36 kg / 79 lb

Pull-ups
3 x Failure

[sosso]

Squat
1 x 5 x 60 kg / 132 lb
1 x 5 x 70 kg / 154 lb
3 x 5 x 85 kg / 187 lb - Pretty easy.. 90 kg next time

Press *
1 x 5 x 20 kg (empty bar) / 44 lb
1 x 5 x 30 kg / 66 lb
3 x 5 x 40 kg / 88 lb

Pull-up
1 x 6
3 x 5

Chin-up
1 x 5

Leg presses with my left leg
2 x 10 x 80 kg

Leg Press
2 x 5 x 200 kg / 440 lb

*When I say press I mean press (standing overhead).. not bench press!

[sosso]

Leg Press
1 x 10 x 80 kg / 176 lb
2 x 10 x 120 kg / 264 lb
3 x 10 x 200 kg / 440 lb

Also threw in some calf raises while I was on the leg press for the hell of it.. 200 kg

DB Bench Press
2 x 5 x 26 kg / 57 lb
2 x 4 x 28 kg / 62 lb

Should be fine to do 3 x 5 x 28 kg next time

Deadlift
1 x 5 x 50 kg / 110 lb
1 x 5 x 60 kg / 132 lb
1 x 5 x 70 kg / 154 lb
1 x 5 x 80 kg / 176 lb

Deadlifts are great

[sosso]

Squat
1 x 8 x 60 kg / 132 lb
1 x 5 x 70 kg / 154 lb
3 x 5 x 90 kg / 198.5 lb

Press (standing over-head)
1 x 5 x 20 kg / 44 lb
1 x 5 x 30 kg / 66 lb
3 x 5 x 45 kg / 99 lb

More weight and no more soreness! Excellent.

Pull-up
1 x 7
1 x 7
1 x 5

Felt strong today!

[sosso]

I've decided I'm going to build myself a weightlifting platform and buy an olympic barbell and plates, so I can work out at home. The gym is nice and all but it would be cool to be able to go into the garage whenever I want and not have to worry about sharing equipment or hogging it.

I think I could do this whole routine with just one barbell, a bench and maybe a rack for squats. Oh and I'd need to work out a way to do pull-ups but I could build something for that too..

[Crystal]

I totally agree that you can do your whole routine with all that minimal equipment, squats of course are amazing and a pull-up bar in a door frame would be easy to come by . Nice training!

Back to basics!

[sosso]

Thanks! I like to keep things simple and I'd really like to start doing more Olympic lifting because I think it's really fun. I love the clean and press.

[sosso]

Today was a bit out of my normal routine, but it's good to mix things up a bit..

I went to a different gym that has a great set-up for powerlifting, olympic lifting, deadlifts etc and I did some light squats, power cleans and chin ups to finish off. Power cleans are so gooood.

Full squat
1 x 5 x 60 kg / 132 lb
3 x 5 x 70 kg / 154 lb

Power Clean
5 x 3 x 40 kg / 88 lb
3 x 3 x 50 kg 110 lb

Chin-up
1 x 7
1 x 5
1 x 6

I think my form and technique on the power clean is getting better. I haven't had any real coaching. I've just been watching videos on youtube.

I took some crappy photos with my phone. I had the room to myself the whole time.







I'll post some videos soon.

[sosso]

Power Clean videos

Tips on technique very welcome
It's difficult to see, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping the bar close enough on the way up over my knees..

[Crystal]

Here is what I see:

I LOVE how straight your back is and how you keep your head and chest up. A+ for that, but to be a little picky, IMO your hips could stand to sink a little more at the start and you could dip down more on the catch. I think this will help with explosiveness and heavier weights.

Also, it almost seems like you go in slow motion until the knees where the explosion starts and you catch the bar. Maybe explode off the floor more.

That is all I have and its really nothing, your form looked pretty darn good to me. Have you ever done jump shrugs? Might help with the training. You hold the bar above the knees and jump up, keeping your arms relaxed and straight while shrugging up with your traps. Great to practice form and a great trap workout.

[sosso]

Awesome, thank you. I had a feeling I was going a little slow and I'll definitely give the jump shrugs a go and try to be more explosive and confident with it too!

[sosso]

So I've been told that those are actually squat cleans.. makes sense. The receiving position in the power clean would be higher.