Road to 1200

[Jlew]

Background Info

Age: 40
Ht: 6’1”
BW: 205
BF: ~15%

Ran SSLP from Nov ‘17 thru Jan ‘18.
Started at a BW of 180 and finished just shy of 215.
PR’s @ the end of LP:
Squat 315x3
Bench 275x3
Dead 385x5
Press 175x3

Goals:
Squat 405
Bench 315
Dead 495
And not become a tub of shit getting there.

I was basically lost as I entered early intermediate programming. Having read PPST and experiencing decent results from SSLP, and not having the resources to obtain outside coaching, I gave developing my own programming a go. The results of which were mediocre at best. I ran a short HLM and then transitioned to a four day split. Looking back, I think two issues were my primary stumbling blocks. The first was that the end of LP was a mental and physical grind. I carried the idea that I just needed to nut up and keep on keeping on into those programs. Needless to say I couldn’t which led to the second issue of changing goals. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of a perpetual grind, especially for a recreational lifter, to make gains in the big lifts so I moved the goal posts. I know.

Well, it was around that time that Rip’s infamous intermediate programming article was published and the ensuing debate led me to do some investigating on my own. Well the fact that I decided to start a log here should tell anyone who cares to ask what conclusion I came to. I ran a cycle of the JTS base template and while I enjoyed the renewed focus and the program itself I found that I swayed to far in the other direction and was not handling heavy enough loads on a regular basis. Something that I found is important to my individual progress. I stumbled on Hanley’s MM while researching RTS and BBM.

I think it has everything that I’ve been looking for. I’m going to start off pretty much with the vanilla RX and adjust as I see how I respond. Ok, enough talk.



Squat - Warmup to 1@8 320x1, 245x5x6
Bench - 210x5x7
Press - Warmup to 1@9 135x1, 7 min density block @80% 107.5x5,5,5,5,5

[mgil]

Thanks for joining and starting a log!

Hope you get back on track and hit your goals!

[EricK]

Good luck, @Jlew! One of the biggest lessons for me was from reading @Chebass88's log and recognizing that there are so many ways to classify a PR other than a rep-max load. Sometimes that helps to appreciate all of the different ways you can push yourself. Glad you stuck with things and I hope you enjoy the journey!

[Wilhelm]

Welcome to the site, @Jlew!

Thank you for adding your log.
Wishing you much success.

[Jlew]

Thanks. I’ll check out @Chebass88’s log.

Having trouble sleeping. Hip is pissed off and now I can’t stop thinking about some shit from work. Anyway, figured I’d kill some time here. As previously stated I’m starting with pretty much the base template @Hanley laid out in the MM thread. Two adjustments I made out of the gate were to flip flop chins and press. I just feel more warm and fuzzy that way. I will also alternate warming up to a 1@8 on Squat and Bench every cycle to help identify my e1rm in those lifts.

So when my alarm clock goes off in about three hours today’s session will be 10 min density block of chins and 30 min on the airdyne.

[Jlew]

Chins - 10 min density block 5,5,5,5,5,5,4,4,4,4 (46)
LISS - 30 min airdyne

[Jlew]

5AM is to damn early, but I like starting my day with training.

Warm-ups included:
Squat 135x5, 185x3, 205x3, 245x2, 270x1x2, 285x1, 315x1(@7)
Bench 135x5, 180x3, 210x2, 230x1x2, 255x1, 275x1 (@7.5)
CGBP 195x8x3
Dead 135x5, 225x3, 295x2, 345x1, 375x1(@9), 295x4x5 - Left hip is still pissed off. Didn't feel it during squats, but by the time I got to my last singles on the deadlift was feeling it. I hear people say things like foam rolling don't work, but taking a lacrosse ball to it between sets made it feel better.

Trying to get practice with RPE hence the ratings. I have also read some people here who are using them to help determine weight increase for the next cycle which I think is a good idea. Figured I would try that and depending on how the weight increase goes it will let me know if I'm hot, cold, or just right in my assessments.

Just realized I'm writing this like people will actually be reading it...guess it doesn't matter as long as I can come back and reference it later.

[Dan]

Welcome, @Jlew People definitely read these logs. Especially if those people are close to you in age, weight, strength levels, etc. or have similar challenges. Speaking of which, can you describe your hip pain? Location, what irritates it?

[Jlew]

Thanks for the welcome @Dan. I guess you’re right because that is what I do.

As for the hip, it comes and goes. It definitely feels like an “itis” type of ache. Mainly anterior and lateral. I’ve read a lot trying to diagnose cause. My best guess so far is that knee slide in the squat may aggravate it. I high bar if that matters. I also have a tendency to shift laterally during ascent if form is off and favor that side due to an old bjj injury to my right knee. I don’t know if that affects it at all....just a guess.

[bobmen10000]

5AM is to damn early, but I like starting my day with training.

Warm-ups included:
Squat 135x5, 185x3, 205x3, 245x2, 270x1x2, 285x1, 315x1(@7)
Bench 135x5, 180x3, 210x2, 230x1x2, 255x1, 275x1 (@7.5)
CGBP 195x8x3
Dead 135x5, 225x3, 295x2, 345x1, 375x1(@9), 295x4x5 - Left hip is still pissed off. Didn't feel it during squats, but by the time I got to my last singles on the deadlift was feeling it. I hear people say things like foam rolling don't work, but taking a lacrosse ball to it between sets made it feel better.

Trying to get practice with RPE hence the ratings. I have also read some people here who are using them to help determine weight increase for the next cycle which I think is a good idea. Figured I would try that and depending on how the weight increase goes it will let me know if I'm hot, cold, or just right in my assessments.

Just realized I'm writing this like people will actually be reading it...guess it doesn't matter as long as I can come back and reference it later.

People read the logs, a lot of the people being coached by Hanley or just using the Montana Method template(s) follow other logs on similar programming.

[Dan]

Thanks for the welcome @Dan. I guess you’re right because that is what I do.

As for the hip, it comes and goes. It definitely feels like an “itis” type of ache. Mainly anterior and lateral. I’ve read a lot trying to diagnose cause. My best guess so far is that knee slide in the squat may aggravate it. I high bar if that matters. I also have a tendency to shift laterally during ascent if form is off and favor that side due to an old bjj injury to my right knee. I don’t know if that affects it at all....just a guess.

I get anterior and somewhat medial pain from squatting. A more closed hip angle (low bar or deep high bar) seems to irritate it. Not very much at all from deads, thankfully. I am not super knowledgeable in this area, but someone here recommended this video, I think ChrisP? I found all of the movements difficult to impossible at first, but the first five have made a very noticeable difference. I've done them almost every day for a couple weeks now. I also occasionally use a lacrosse ball or PVC pipe, but that only ever takes the edge off for about a day.

[Jlew]

People read the logs, a lot of the people being coached by Hanley or just using the Montana Method template(s) follow other logs on similar programming.

I guess I was getting at the fact that I’m still trying to figure this stuff out for myself and while people may take a look at my programming/lifts they couldn’t care less about my other ramblings. I’ve never really posted anywhere before, mainly just lurked, but I guess I’ve always spent a fair amount time reading other people’s logs ramblings and all looking for ideas and motivation. But your right, no reason to think I’m different than most others in that regard.

[Jlew]

I get anterior and somewhat medial pain from squatting. A more closed hip angle (low bar or deep high bar) seems to irritate it. Not very much at all from deads, thankfully. I am not super knowledgeable in this area, but someone here recommended this video, I think ChrisP? I found all of the movements difficult to impossible at first, but the first five have made a very noticeable difference. I've done them almost every day for a couple weeks now. I also occasionally use a lacrosse ball or PVC pipe, but that only ever takes the edge off for about a day.

Thanks for the info. I’ll try it out. Now that you say that I always try to stay tight and controlled on my descent to stop just below parallel but when the weight gets heavy, for me, I occasionally go deep into the hole. I usually bounce off my calves when that happens which I assume causes movement at the knee before I ascend. I thought the knee movement caused by the bounce was the issue but maybe it is just the deep angle at the hip binding things up. Regardless, controlled descent with proper depth is what I need to focus on.

[Jlew]

Got to sleep in a little this morning. Started the session around 730.

Squat: 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 260x1, 280x3x5; started with 3 min rest periods between work sets but by the third set weight was feeling heavy so bumped to 4. Helped but 80% felt heavier than I thought it would going in.

Bench: 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 240x4x4; Bench felt solid. I am doing straight 4x4 v. The 3+1x4 rx laid out in the standard template. I don’t see myself ever competing so view paused reps solely as a tempo variation as opposed to a competition lift. I don’t see the need to use them at this point in my training for pressing or squatting movements. Maybe someday once I’m a little stronger/perceive the need for more variation. 3 min rest periods.

SGDL: 135x3, 185x1, 215x5x4; I had never done these prior to MM. Seemed like a pretty easy variation to pick up the groove. I read somewhere on the board, MM thread perhaps?, that they are good for targeting rear delts and upper back and who doesn’t want to look more jacked? Used 2 min rests.

I still have chins and cardio tomorrow but initial impressions of the main lift days after the first week are:

I really enjoyed the H and P days. H day allows me to get a good amount of work in and get a decent pump which always feels good. P day let’s me handle some heavy weight without contemplating death which helps my mental confidence at those intensities/loads.

S day was my least favorite though it is probably where you make your money in regards to gainz in terms of weight on the bar. Maybe I was just having an off day so it felt harder than I anticipated? Maybe the program is designed so that fatigue from the week’s earlier sessions is still present so S day will always be a little harder than I anticipate? I guess time will tell.

I also realized I need to come up with a better way to record my sessions. Going to buy a tripod I can use to mount my phone to. Found a few options on Amazon that are reasonably priced. I definitely need to be more consistent in recording my sessions to help critique form and rate evaluate rpe. I also think that I will be setting some lifetime PRs soon and would like to document them better than I’m currently able to.

[Jlew]

Chins - 10 min density block 5,5,5,5,5,3,2,3,2,3,2,3,2,3,2,1,1
Plank - accumulated 5 min hold
HIIT- Airdyne tabata

[Jlew]

Made the mistake of venturing down into the off topic area of the forum while I was bored last night. Good reminder of why I generally steer clear of most social media and that I should just stick to the training related boards that brought me here in the first place.

BW: 205.5 I’m trying the IIFYM approach. Goal is a slow gain. Using MFP as my tracker. It’s hard for me to get the amount of carbs I need.

Squat: 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 260x4x3, 260x3x4; I just suck at at squats
Bench: 135x5, 185x3, 205x1, 225x4x3, 225x3x4
Press: 10 min density block 107.5x5,5,5,3,3,3,2,2,2,2 (32)

[Jlew]

Using MFP to track macros. I don’t understand how I can pretty much be on point with the calculated macros but several hundred calories over the total calorie goal. I mean it gave me a total calorie count based on activity and goals. Carbs, fat, and protein are extrapolated based on my chosen percentage breakdown but some how I can pretty much hit my macro goals but I’m over on calories?

Anyway, it has me eating around 3200 calories when including exercise data. I’ve started with a macro breakdown of 50% carbs and 25% for pro and fat each. I’ll do this for a couple of weeks and then evaluate how things are going to make any adjustments.

Today’s training:
Chins: 7 min density block BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (35)
Plank: Accumulate three minutes
LISS: 20 min airdyne

[Jlew]

This morning’s session. Warm-ups included:

Squat: 135x5, 185x3, 205x3, 245x2, 270x1x2, 285x1, 315x1, 322.5x1@9 PR
Bench: 135x5, 180x3, 210x2, 230x1x2, 255x1, 270x1, 282.5x1@8.5 PR *Planned on 285 but 270 was rough and I got scared so I backed it off to 282.5 which was a mistake. Could have gotten the 285.
CGBP: 195x8x3
Dead: 135x5, 225x5, 275x2, 315x1, 360x1@8, 315x5x3

[Jlew]

Won’t be able to train on Saturday so moved it to this morning.

Chins: 7 min density block BWx35 - changed things up a little. Usually do like an EMOM type of thing but this just started the clock and did as many as I could do with no particular strategy in mind (and without watching the clock). Interesting that I hit the exact same number of total reps.

LISS 20 min airdyne

[Jlew]

This morning's session:

Squat: 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 260x1, 285x3x3, 285x2x3 (4 min rests)
Bench: 135x5, 185x3, 205x1, 245x3x4, 245x2x2 (3 min rests)
SGDL: 135x5, 185x3, 205x1, 235x5x4 (2 min rests, straps after first set)

The second strength day of the cycle was not nearly as tough as the first which leads me to believe I was just having an off day the first time.

However, I was surprised at how much tougher the squatting has felt in comparison to the bench. Even with an additional minute on rest periods I "felt" like the last sets of squats were much more difficult than the last sets of bench, but when I looked at the videos bar speed was about the same for both. I was also surprised at the difference between my perception during the lift and what I actually saw when reviewing the video. There were a few sets of squats where it felt like the bar was in danger of coming to a stop on the ascent, but when watching the set afterwards there was barely even a noticeable slow down in the bar speed. I think the lesson for me is that I need to worry less about how I feel during the lift and pay more attention to what I am seeing in the video after the set.

The SGDLs went easy, but I was a little caught off guard at how much the additional 20lbs from last session affected my grip.

So after finishing my last session of the cycle I feel like this is going to be a very sustainable way to train as long as I manage e1rm increases appropriately. I'll figure that out, and map out the next two week cycle when I have a little more time.

Side note: I have been incorporating some of the stretches from the video @Dan recommended, and my hip has been much happier the last few days. Costing me about 5 mins at the end of my workout. The results so far have made it worth the time in my opinion.