Q 11/6

Deadlift: 45 x5, 135 x5, 185 x5, 225 x3, 275 x3, 315 x1, 335 x1, 375 x1, 410 x1 PR!!!
Dips: 10

Weight @162. Finally over 2.5 BW deadlift!

Q 10/1 Dips and Chinups

Dips: 10, +25 x10, +30 x10 x2
Neutral grip chinups: 8, +40 x5 x3

Q 9/7 Bench and 9/9 Vertical

9/7
Bench: 45lb x5, 65 x5, 95 x5, 135 x3, 165 x3, 190 x2, 1
Fail. :( Backing off bench for a week or 2 to focus on overhead press and dips before attempting again.
Dips: 5, +25lb x10 x4
Facepulls: 130lb x12, 140 x12 x3
Neutral Chinups: +25lb x7, 7, 5
DB Shrugs: 95lb x10 x3
Curls: 60lb x12 x3

9/9
Running vertical jumps: quite a lot, lost count. Height was low and disappointing. I should not have slacked off this week with diet/training. Maybe I need more frequency, perhaps add in a few jumps after squats. I also noticed that my jumps were better towards the end. Max makes very good progress doing cleans before jumps/squats, so I might tweak dynamic lower body day a bit and do cleans, jumps, then pistols, good mornings, and sprints.
40yard sprints: 6. Decent start, poor top speed. Need to work more on stride/flexibility and reactivity. Scared of legs cramping up, so I skipped more pistols and good mornings. I should do these before the sprints or maybe make them up tomorrow if I'm not too sore.
Bulking started! 179lbs with shoes and heavy clothing after dinner. That's probably around 172lbs actual weight in the morning. Hopefully back up to low 180s by the middle of next month.

Eunice (8/2)

I took a 2-day hiatus from the gym.. felt like forever! Went to a Brazilian steakhouse for dinner last night and had far more than my fair share of protein--for the week! Split my workout into two today; cardio for an hour, an hour break, then just did squat and power cleans. X-bar again.

Squat
bar x5
+35 x5
+50 x5
+60 x5
+70 x3, belted
+80 x5 x3, belted (approx 132.5lbs)
+90 x3, belted (approx 142.5lbs)

15 dips, 8 pull-ups (no kip), 10 X-bar power cleans. Not a bad day.

Eunice (7/29)

I came in to the gym later than usual.. with the "aw, f*** it" mindset. Thought it would a bad w/o day so I figured I would take it easy; felt a bit lazy and sluggish--blame it on the peanut butter and pretzels I downed after coming back from work.

But apparently, the day had other surprises in mind.. good surprises. (using X-weight bar)

Bench
bar x10
+5 x5
+10 x5
+15 x5
+20 x5 x2, x4 x1 (failed the last)

Squat
bar x5
+35 x5
+50 x5
+60 x5
+70 x5
+80 x5 x3 (belted)

Deadlift
bar x5
+50 x5
+70 x5
+95 x5
+115 x3
+130 x5 (belted)

Dips: x7 x2

yep.. apparently I got "summer bests" across the board today!! And I can definitely tell my triceps are getting stronger, or at least its evidenced by the fact that I've been going up in weight for the isolation exercises.

Thanks for the response to the previous post, everyone. I think I'll give it a try sometime at a low weight.
@Frank: I doubt that I'll be squatting 400 anytime soon.. or EVER for that matter, so I thankfully won't have to worry about that.
@Keone and Shankar: I may very well be one of those girls.. Keone, will you let me use a man-pon?!

Eunice (7/26)

(again, using some bar of weight X)

Bench
bar x5
+5 x5
+10 x5
+15 x 5
+20 x4, failed 5th
+15 x5 x3

Squat
bar x5
+35 x5
+50 x5
+60 x5
+65 x5 belt
(at this point, a young man kindly informed me about using the pad to cushion the bar against my shoulders so it wouldn't hurt as much-- people are so considerate, here in the South! I thanked him and continued on without the padding, but can someone tell me the pros/cons of using padding?)
+70 x5 x3, belt

Deadlift
bar x5
+50 x5
+70 x5
+95 x5
+115 x5, belt
+125 x5, belt

I power cleaned a bit, set of 10 reps with the x-bar.

I also did dips.. like 8 of them (9 today, 7/27).. I've never been able to do dips before, so that was pretty exciting!

Q- 1/20/11

Squats:
warmups
210 x5 x3
felt quite easy, increasing by 5 pounds next time.

overhead press:
warmups
95 x 5 x3
felt quite easy, increasing by 5 pounds next time.

Cleans:
warmups
138 x5 x3
Missed the 5th rep on the 2nd set, then redid the rep. Might not be able to go up by 5 pounds next time.

Dips:
10 x4

Q- 1/9/11

Bench press:
45lb x5
65 x5
95 x5
115 x5
135 x3
145 x5 x3

Trap-bar Deadlift:
70kg x5
110 x5
140 x5
160 x3
170 x1

Dips: 10 x3

Erg: 2000m

Chris - 8/28

TM - Intensity

Squat (belted):
Warmup - 45x5; 95x5; 135x4; 185x3; 225x2; 275x1; 315x1; 340x1
360x3
Easy for an intensity set.

Bench Press:
Warmup - 45x5; 45x5; 70x5; 70x4; 95x4; 120x3; 145x2; 160x1; 160x1; 175x1; 185x1
190x2
190x2
I did more warmup than listed but I don't remember.
Nailing down form. Arch until it gets uncomfortable. Pull my lats down with the bar to reinforce said arch. My lower back got pretty tight after 185, but it definitely helped me push.

Deadlift (belted):
Warmup - 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 275x2; 315x1; 340x1; 315x1(belted); 340x(belted); 365x1 (belted)
390x1
390xF
390x1
390xF
390xF
390x1
I have form issues. What seemed to work was keeping my shins around an inch from the bar, and setting my shoulders down and back, in addition to the standard "grip and rip."

Dips:
+0x5; +22.5x4; +45x5; +52.5x5; +60x5; +70x5; +80x3
I think I have +80x5 in me. This was me trying to hit a max set of 5.

Aside from deadlifts, surprisingly good!

Chris - 7/24

TM - Intensity
Squat (unbelted):
Warmup - 45x5; 95x5; 95x5; 135x4; 185x3; 225x2; 255x1; 285x1; 315x1
345x3
Half-GM'd the last rep. But I'll take it!

Bench Press:
Warmup - 45x5; 65x5; 85x4; 105x3; 125x2; 145x1; 165x1
185x3
... Oh what the hell.
195x1
Sticking point around halfway up, and brought it up unevenly as well, causing no small strain on my left lat. But Shanker's yelling caused me to lock it out.

Deadlift:
Warmup - 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 260x2; 295x1; 325x1; 355x1
385x1
Felt easy enough, so...
405x1
AW YEAH.

Dips:
+0x4; +25x2; +50x5; +50x5; +50x5
No comment.

Deload week, here I come.

Chris - 7/10

TM - Intensity

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x4; 185x3; 225x2; 255x1; 285x1; 315x1
340x3
Bar rolled forward an inch on the final rep. Almost panicked, but got it anyway.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 70x5; 95x4; 120x3; 140x2; 160x1
180x2 UNACCEPTABLE
180x3 THERE WE GO
My first attempt at 180x3 ended poorly, with most of the weight being borne on my right lat somehow because I flattened out. That hurt a bit. The second set had me bring the weight towards my face. Oops.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 255x2; 285x1; 315x1; 345x1
375x3
I thought I could do it, and I did.

Dips:
+0x4; +25x2; +45x5; +45x6; +45x6
Easy.

I got all my lifts (with questionable form)! CELEBRATION TIME

Chris - 7/3

TM - Intensity

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x4; 185x3; 225x2; 255x1; 285x1; 315x1
335x3
My knee hurt the day before (as in, didn't regain ability to full squat without pain until today). This was probably a very dumb thing to do. Regardless, any pain I felt went away as the weights went higher and I focused more on form.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 55x5; 75x4; 100x3; 120x2; 140x1; 160x1
175x5
HA

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 255x2; 285x1; 315x1; 345x1
375x1
405x0
I thought I could do it, but I couldn't. Oh well.

Dips:
+0x10; +25x5; +45x5; +45x5
Easy.

Chris - 6/26

TM - Intensity
I came in about an hour after I'd eaten breakfast...

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x4; 185x3; 230x2; 280x1; 305x1
330x3
Funnily enough, I felt like puking less as I warmed up more.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 55x5; 85x4; 115x3; 145x2; 160x1
175x2
175x2
3 just didn't happen.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 280x2; 320x1; 345x1
370x3
I got the lift. The bar, however, got the callus under my right hand's ring finger. Ow.

Dips:
+0x10; +0x10; +0x10
Easy.

Chris - 6/19

TM - Intensity

Came in unusually tired.

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 275x2; 300x1
325x3
Saw stars on 300x1, and 325x3 was no different.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 65x5; 90x4; 115x3; 140x2; 155x1
171x2
Wait, what? UNACCEPTABLE.
171x3
There we go.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 275x2; 315x1; 345x1
370x2
Failed 3rd rep halfway due to grip issues and general "Man I'm pooped"-ness.

Dips:
+0x10; +0x10; +0x10
Easy...

I think it's probably a bad idea to lift when you seriously consider taking a nap between sets.

Chris - 6/1

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x5; 185x4; 225x3
260x5; 260x5; 260x5
No comment.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 65x5; 90x5; 115x4; 140x3
165x3; 165x3; 165x2; 165x2; 145x5; 145x5
You can see where I gave up.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x5; 225x4; 275x3; 315x1
360x5
Hitching? I waste energy at the bottom setting up. Also "Diesel Weasel" or something like that.

Dips:
Warmup: +0x6
+0x8; +25x8
I was feeling real sleepy after deadlifts... did some dips instead of napping.

Okay.
I haven't completed a workout with heavy weights across the board (meaning I hit PRs in squat and military press on the same day OR I hit PRs in bench and deadlift on the same day) in a hair under four months (2/6). That's a long time to consistently miss lifts across. I've been resetting since then. No dice, really, especially on my problem lift (bench press). I think either my lifts are beginning to interfere with each other or I just need a change of pace.

Among the possible choices:
5/3/1
Advanced Novice's Starting Strength, as described in Practical Programming
Texas Method

5/3/1 sounds good because as I understand it, none of the big lifts interfere with each other because they're on separate days, which I'm concerned about with SS. Alternatively, I could hope for a few more scraps of linear gains and change up to the Advanced Novice program. Haven't heard a lot about the Texas Method but judging from the amount of times it's been recommended to me, it's a very feasible alternative too.

Also Shanker suggested I do GVT, but I think my legs would fall off after a week.

Any suggestions?

Chris - 5/27

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 135x5; 175x4; 215x3
255x5; 255x5; 255x5
No comment.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 65x5; 90x5; 110x4; 135x3
135x3; 155x3; 165x5; 175x2; 180x0
Messing around. But hello 165 for 5, where have you been the last few months.
It helped a lot to remind myself to keep uncomfortably tight, even if my stance wasn't superwide or if my arch wasn't fully there. I think something is slowly beginning to slide into place. Not quite clicking, though.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x5; 225x4; 275x2; 320x1
360x3; 360x1; 365x1
Here we go again...

Dips:
Warmup: +0x6
+0x8; +0x8
Too tired to go for more.

A glimmer of hope, it seems!

Chris - 5/23 and 5/26

5/23:
Squat:
255x5; 275x5; 275x5
Felt way harder than they should have.

Bench:
135x5; 140x5; 145x5
No comment.

Deadlift:
335x5
Felt way harder than it should have.

Dips:
+0x10; +0x10
No comment.


5/26:
Felt terrible before I even touched the weight. Screwed around.

Front Squat because I haven't done these ever:
45x5; 95x5; 135x5; 155x5; 175x3
Lower back started feeling VERY iffy.

Back Squat:
225x3; 225x3; 225x3
No comment.

Military Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 50x5; 70x5;
90x5; 100x5; 100x5
Felt absurdly difficult...

Bent-Over Rows:
Warmup: 45x5; 95x4; 120x3; 145x2
170x5; 170x5; 170x5
No comment.

Pullups:
Warmup: +0x6
+20x5; +20x5; +20x4
No comment.

Something went very wrong after finals. I'm not quite sure what it is. Lower back is complaining a bit, but it always tends to do that after any decently heavy session. I'm tempted to take it easy for this week and then reevaluate my plan (i.e. milk Starting Strength for all it's worth).

Chris - 5/15

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 135x5; 195x4; 240x3; 280x2
320x4; 320x3; 320x2
Ehhhh. Either I make it through the rep or I fail at the bottom.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 50x5; 85x4; 115x3; 140x2
165x4; 165x3; 165x3
No dice.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x5; 235x4; 275x3; 315x1
355x5
Oh hey a lift.

Dips:
Warmup: +0x6; +25x4
+45x5; +45x5
No comment.

Man I'm tired.

Chris - 5/8

No training this past week due to schoolwork... snuck into the Z today to thrash myself at least once.

Squat (unbelted):
Warmup: 45x5; 135x5; 180x4; 225x3; 270x2
315x5; 315x5; 315x5
Depth was probably questionable. I was seeing stars after rep 2 so I couldn't tell. I'll take it, though.

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 75x5; 100x4; 125x3; 145x2
165x4; 165x4; 165x3; 165x3
I pressed too soon at the end of my first set and got a shallow 5th rep. Felt a lot better than the last few times I tried it.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x5; 225x4; 270x3; 315x1
355x3; 355x2; 355x1
My hips! They're all over the place! (I need to find a natural-feeling hip position and STICK WITH IT.)

Dips:
Warmup: +0x6; +25x4
+45x5; +45x6
Done with dumbbells because someone else was using the dip belt.

My lifts tell me that I'm probably not at 163BW anymore... oh well.

Chris - 4/27 and 5/1

4/27:
Squat (unbelted):
245x5; 245x5; 245x5

Bench Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 75x5; 95x4; 115x3; 135x2
155x5; 160x5; 165x3; 165x1
Still failing. I lose my arch very easily even across this tiny 5lb jump.

Deadlift:
Warmup: 135x5; 185x5; 235x4; 275x2; 315x1
355x2; 355x2
I almost did a 5th rep but it was rounded and I didn't lock out.

Dips:
Warmup: +0x6; +25x4
+47.5x5; +47.5x5
No comment.

Pullups:
+0x5; +0x5; +0x5; +0x5

Shanker thinks my upper back might be weak. Hmm.


5/1:
Squat (belted):
Warmup: 135x5; 185x4; 225x3; 265x2
310x5; 310x5; 310x5
I used Frank's belt. Still hard, but at least I got through it.

Military Press:
Warmup: 45x5; 70x4; 90x3
110x4; 110x4; 110x4; 110x3
Getting closer. Still not reaching 5, though.

Bent-over Rows:
Warmup: 45x5; 95x5; 125x4; 155x3
180x4; 180x5; 180x4
Retrying next time.

Pullups:
+0x8; +0x8; +0x8
My shoulder got tweaked and pullups were less painful than chinups so I did these instead.

I think it's about time I get a belt... with Frank's belt (a small), I use the 4th loosest hole, whereas with Shanker's (a medium), I'm at about the third tightest hole. I'm not sure if my waist can get smaller, but then again I'm not sure if it'll get much bigger either.

In addition, I think I've very much hit a sticking point across all of my lifts (at least, while I'm unbelted...) I wonder if I should introduce some variety in my routine.