DanXO's log

[DanXO]

Hey all, starting my log here, I have been toiling through the SSNLP the last couple months, started the BBM press plugin once I started stalling on the bench/press and had good success, was so good that I actually trying to continue LP for squat and deadlift. I never actually stalled out on the BBM press plugin.

Right now I am planning on starting Baker's garage gym warrior next week, this week was first week of school here, so took a low week and did the 1rm tests to get an idea where I am at. I am open to other suggestions for a 3 days per week, looked at the bridge, but I'm not ready for RPE or the change in lifts. I am married, work full-time, starting night classes, and have 3 daughters (youngest is an infant) so I'm allowed basically 1 hobby, 3 nights per week .

Stats:
Male
38
5'8"
168.2lb (today)

Squat: 290lbs
Bench: 195lbs
Press: 125lbs
Deadlift: 315lbs

Macros are set to try and gain weight, my goal is to get to about 185 by January, gain a little under 1lb/week, then either cut back some weight or just maintain to try to recomp a bit.

365 carbs
180 protein
80 fat

It's about 2900 calories per day, normally I'm pretty spot on +/-5 for the macros.

That's about it, I've been lifting for "years", just never consistently enough to be successful. I found starting strength about 8 years ago, didn't do the program, couple years back I followed it consistently and was able to squat 225, prior to this the best I had done was 185. Anyway, earlier this year I started following Jordan/Austin/Leah/Alan a bit more and realized that successful lifters always find a way to train, I personally would always let something derail me, so decided I would get my plan ready, eat to put on weight and stay consistent.

[Wilhelm]

Welcome to the site, @DanXO
Thank you for adding your log.

Great first entry btw.
You look to be doing really well with your lifts already.

[DanXO]

Bodyweight today 169.6lbs,

I need to get a bit more consistent in tracking my weight, then I'll just average each week.
Downloaded an app: Libra, to my phone to track my weight and rate of gain, it's been slow the past couple months, so hopefully this will make me a bit more diligent in making adjustments.

Today's workout is day 1 of GGW, on paper the 1st few weeks appear to be pretty easy, squats felt harder than I expected today, but squats were at 70% of my 1RM, I rated them a 6 (trying to rate RPE as I would like to run the bridge at some point), based on the scaling on the chart in the bridge a 6 is 74% of 1RM, 4 reps left in the tank, quite a hard one to rate. For anyone not familiar, GGW is just one of Andy Baker's heavy light medium templates, it's a 12 week program with increasing intensity/volume, the reps cycle over like 3 week blocks.

Squat: 205lbsx4x6 @ 6
Bench: 130lbsx3x6
Deadlift: 190lbx3x6

Bench and deadlift were too easy for me to even consider rating.

[DanXO]

9/4/2018

I was a little sore today, not sure if testing the 1 rep maxes last week was taxing or just the combo of squats and deadlifts on Sunday.

Pause Squat ~2 count: 175x2x6, these started easy, but the pause seems to be very fatiguing.
Press: 90x4x6, resting 3-4 minutes between sets, final set I gave an RPE of 7.5.
Pendlay Row: 135x4x8. barbell rows from the floor are one of the lifts I really dislike.

[DanXO]

9/6/2018

Squat: 190x3x6, medium day, but normal squat so was easier than the pause squats from the light day.
Bench: 140x4x6, RPE less than 6...
Deadlift: 225x1x6

1 week down, I made up a spreadsheet since everything except for rows is based on the tested 1RM. Overall, I like the idea of knowing what I'm going to lift for the next few weeks, but still have to get used to the idea that progress is not a weekly PR, if I understand "intermediate" training correctly.

[DanXO]

9/9/2018
Bodyweight 168.6 - weight gain is stagnant, going to bump up the cals to about 3100/day.

Squat: 220x4x5, heavy day, once again rate 6, 75%, so about right. It occurred to me when doing lighter squats I tend to slow them down a bit which makes them feel harder than necessary.
Bench: 140x3x5
Deadlift: 205x3x5

This was Sunday's workout, I did notice on Monday after my low back was a little sore, just DOMS.

[DanXO]

9/11/2018

Pause Squat: 190x2x5 - 2 count is getting difficult, doing a 1 count, probably switch to normal squat next week since it's too heavy.
Press: 95x4x5
Pendlay Row: 145x4x6

Focusing on keeping my rest times to 3-4 minutes and more efficient warmups, keeping my workouts so far around an hour, which is great! SSLP was pushing 2+ hours sometimes, when working out in the evening this really takes a toll on things.

[DanXO]

9/13/2018

Squat: 205x3x5
Bench: 145x4x5
Deadlift: 240x5

Pretty easy day, but squats were harder than I expected, not sure if the small increase in volume is causing it.

[DanXO]

Up to 171.6lbs today.

GGW week 3

9/16

Squat 230x4x4
Bench 150x3x4
Deadlift 225x3x5

9/18

Squat 205x2x4
Press 100x4x4
Row 150x4x4

9/20

Squat 220x3x4
Bench 155x4x4
Deadlift 255x4

As always squats were feeling harder than I expect, only in week 3, they are just going to get harder.

[DanXO]

10/5/2018 - Really lazy about updating my log.
Today's bodyweight: 172.00 lbs

GGW week 4 and 5.

Week 4

9/24/2018
Squat 220x4x6
Bench 140x3x6
Deadlift 205x3x6

9/26/2018
Pause Squat 190x2x6
Press 95x4x6
Barbell Row 4x8

9/28/2018
Squat 205x3x6
Bench 150x4x6
Deadlift 240x6

Was a good week, had to adjust to MWF for this week due to my schedule this week. Wed I don't get home until about 9:30pm due to classes, but happy I still got the workout in.


Week 5

9/30/2018
Squat 235x4x5
Bench 150x3x5
Deadlift 225x3x5

10/2/2018
Pause Squat 205x2x5
Press 100x4x5
Barbell Row 4x6 - both weeks I don't actually remember what I did, was 145/150. I have all my other lifts in excel due to the program...

10/4/2018
Squat 220x3x5
Bench 155x4x5
Deadlift 255x5