PR Friday

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Today is PR Friday, so post weight lifted, consumed, or gained to the comments. You still have time if you are trying to rip some jeans or hoist a female friend overhead. If you hoist a male friend overhead, regardless of your gender, this is not cool (for females it is not because your male friend is not heavy enough).
———-

I have trained Glennis, a 34 year old gal, here at the gym for about 7 weeks now. She came here a bit underweight, and was really gung-ho about getting stronger and gaining weight — she even made the comment that some increase in bodyfat was A-okay. I put her onthe linear progression with a mission to eat much more protein.

An average girl doesn’t eat enough protein in general, especially one that is training correctly. She didn’t have any restrictions on calories or carbohydrates, I just told her to include protein in every meal, drink more milk (which she likes), and get her protein intake to be a bit above her bodyweight if she wanted to increase muscle mass (measured in grams, of course).

Glennis’ progress is not profound by any means, but it is a bit interesting in that it dispels all of the silly shit that women think is going to happen to them when they train with barbells. They think that some how they are suddenly going to get supreme genetics and “bulk up”, as if it is gonna happen over night. Also, eating more is not the same thing as getting fat. We saw the other day that Zach gained almost 80 pounds of body weight with about 60% of it as muscle, and the same thing can happen with girls, but just on a different scale. In general, girls are weak, and whatever they are interested doing will be augmented by an increase in strength. Period.

In seven weeks Glennis lost a skosh of bodyfat, gained some good muscle, and got a good deal stronger. I have the data for those of you who are interested, since it’s fashionable to call bullshit on training progress on the internet. Oh, and it’s important to note that in the sixth week of training (which was last week), Glennis was pretty sick and didn’t train at all. She probably lost some weight because of that, but I went ahead and took her bodyfat today anyway.

34 years old, 5’5″
Weight is in pounds unless otherwise noted, and all lifts were done for three sets of five (deadlift is only one set).
Body weight
128 –> 133
Net: +5

Bodyfat
22.7% –> 19.8%
Net: -2.9%

Lean Body Mass
98.9 –> 106.6
Net: +7.7

Fat Mass
29.1 –> 26.4
Net: -2.7

Squat
45 –> 95
Net: 50

Press
25 –> 57
Net: 27

Bench
45 –> 63.5
Net: 18.5

Deadlift
30 kg –> 58 kg
Net: 28 kg

As you can see, Glennis lost fat, and gained muscle to have a net increase in body weight of five pounds. Obviously she was already skinny and not fat to begin with, but this is an example of a real life scenario where a girl gained almost 8 pounds of muscle in 7 weeks. Glennis also lost bodyfat without even trying to, which means two things; A) she probably could have eaten a bit more, but I’m not scolding her, and B) it goes to show that when a girl trains PROPERLY, results are inevitable. Full body, multi-joint strengthening exercises are going to be the most useful in any training program.

This last part is for the ladies:
Glennis also developed a rump — the kind that girls want to have. I say this objectively (since I have a lady friend and Glennis’ boyfriend is a friend of mine who trains at the gym — pretty strong dude); her muscle has increased in the region. Even though 7.7 pounds of muscle may not seem like a lot, I can see definition in Glennis that previously wasn’t there (in her arms, legs, etc.). More muscle with the same or less bodyfat is what makes a girl “toned”, and this is what you happens when you get stronger.

92 thoughts on “PR Friday”

  2. BW: 161 at 5”7″

    Today:
    Squat- 270x3x5
    Press- 120x3x5
    Chins-BW+33x3x5

    Last Tuesday:
    Squat-270x3x5,5,4
    Bench- 164x3x5
    Deadlift-325x1x5

  5. BW: 180 at 5”10””
    Weds. Pulled 375×5 with double overhand grip, (max for single 400)
    Today Cleaned 185 (up from 175) Failed twice at 205.
    Also go yelled at twice today at my schools gym for dropping the rubber bumper plates on power lifting platform…

  7. BENCH: 315x3x5
    SQUAT: 355x3x5
    PRESS: 205x3x5
    DL: 475X3/525X1

    NEVER SQUATTED AT ALL BEFORE STARTING LINEAR PROGRESSION SO THAT LIFT IS LAGGING BEHIND THE OTHERS. I STARTED AT 265, SO I GUESS I SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH A 90LB. INCREASE SO FAR. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, MY DEADLIFT AND BENCH ARE COMING ALONG NICELY.

  9. BW: 165 at 5”8″

    Squat 290 1×5
    Bench 215 1×5
    Press 137.5 1×5
    DL 330 1×3 – 2nd time failing on 4th rep. Will try and eat enough this weekend to break that plateau

  10. Weighed in at 199.8 today.

    I””ve been doing Starting Strength since September, however I””ve only recently started trying to get 70s Big.

    I credit this site for motivating me to eat more, and I””m sure that helped my linear progression now that the weight is getting up there.

    Squat 245 5×5
    Bench 155 5×5
    Press 125 5×5
    DL 295 1×5

    Thanks 70sBig!

    No problem, dub.

    –Justin

  11. BW: 225 @ 6”1””

    PRs:
    Squat: 365x1rx1s
    BP: 280x3x1
    Press: 195x1x1 (Got 200 to my forehead but couldn”t press it up)
    DL: 445x5x1

    Does anyone else have such a big disparity between their squat and deadlift strength? I”d guess my DL 1RM is a good 130# better than my squat.

  16. Had to have “the talk” with the boyfriend this week…
    When he told me to be sure my arms didn”t get “too big” while I was “trying to get stronger and stuff,” he had to be told that “my arms will get as big as they get; and I will get as strong as I can.”
    70s Big does not fear ladies with shoulders.

    After having my lungs ripped out for a week only one PR- PC 120#x3
    but also a fun endurace PR- 500m and 2000m C2 row time PRs- strong and fast(er) can go together!

    One week until CFGames SoCal Sectionals

    Way to go Glennis!! Squat butt looks good on a lady!

  17. bw – 163

    lost some weight due to being sick for about 2 weeks in late Feb.

    Squat got to 300 3 sets 5 reps but form was being compromised. tried 295 after a week or two of lighter squats and left arm near shoulder made a ”pop” sound as i was pushing up. Hurted like shit. Its better now but i have to really raise my elbows for it to stop hurting. Will reset.. sadly.

    deadlift- 320 5 reps

  18. I love being a novice, every workout is a PR

    Front squat 140x5x3
    Press 120x5x3
    Deadlift 265x5x1
    Power Clean 140x3x5
    Power Snatch 110x3x5
    Bench Press 145x5x3
    Body Wt up to 204

    awright.

  19. My sister asked my last night how she could lose weight. “But I don”t want to gain muscle,” she said, “I have enough.” Huh? My brain could not process this statement since A) I was feeling a little insulted since she was clearly taking a dig at my body-type, and all the strong beautiful females who I train. And B) in my opinion she doesn”t have nearly enough muscle. I told her if she wanted to be skinny I couldn”t in good conscience help her, and we left it at that.

    Viva la squat and the booty that goes with it! Congratulations Glennis! And thanks for another great post 70s Big.

  20. Did a simulated meet on Wednesday to prepare for the Alabama contest coming up in March:
    Bench: 240
    Squat: 285
    DL: 340

    These single max reps (never did those before) left me surprisingly wasted.

    All PRs and sets me up for target lifts at the meet:
    Bench: 260+
    Squat: 310+
    DL: 360+

    Started linear progression in January
    Bench: 195
    Squat: 215
    DL: 285

    Weight in January = 210
    Current weight = 225
    Age: 47

    This shit works!!!

  21. Got into power lifting and introduced to this site and Rip”s book, Starting Strength, through the Cross Fit site. Hey Cross Fit is good for something :-)

  28. PR for this week:

    BS: 210x3x5
    DL: 225:1×5
    ___________________
    Press: 125

    Nothing special, but I”m loving the Starting Strength progression, doing a little more every time.

  29. Weight: 98kg
    BF: 20%

    Squat PR: 260x5x3
    Deadlift PR: 286x5x3

    Started 3 months ago… not sure if thats good but im pretty happy with it :D

  30. 27 5”11 215lbs
    weight(lbs)xsetsxreps
    BS 340 3×5
    P 160 3×5
    BP 235 3×5
    DL 410 1×5
    My wife now describes me as “BURLY” and she digs it. PR!

  31. Nice PR””s everyone
    Mine for the Week
    -Press 135×3
    -Deadift 350×1
    -C&J 195×2, 200x1x2, 205×2
    -A2G squat 2656×2, 275×1

    I am a senior in high school and track starts tomorrow. I am a 100-800m sprinter and do the jumps as well. What should I do for weight training in season? I do not think that my coach will give me a weight training schedule.

    I am working with hurdler and high jumper right now. See if your coach has a repeating schedule and then base the lifting schedule on that. You do not want to have tired legs for your training so that you can get the most out of track practice.

    –Justin

  32. Lately I have been training my 44 year old sister, using (roughly) the Starting Strength routine. She started lifting in mid-January, roughly 2 months ago. She is around 170cm, 62kg (5”8″, 137 lbs).

    I haven”t measured her bodyfat, weight or LBM, but there are visible changes, especially around the shoulder area.

    All weights are for 3 sets of 5 except deadlift one set of 5.

    Squat 10kg -> 35kg (22->77 lbs)
    Bench 15kg -> 32.5kg (33->72 lbs)
    Press 10kg -> 22.5kg (22->50 lbs)
    Deadlift 35kg -> 65kg (77->143 lbs)

    She also does 3 sets of 5 chinups with about 12kg (25 lbs) of help from a machine. She”s very close to getting a bodyweight chinup.

    For myself, I did a 130kg (286 lbs) raw bench this week for a 2.5kg (5#) improvement and a 200kg (441 lbs) equipped squat (+10kg). I”m competing in the 100kg division of the Icelandic nationals next Sat.

  34. A little late on this as I was at the Arnold over the weekend.

    PR”s:
    Squat – 446 (belt only)
    Bench – 303 w/ 1 sec pause

    Standing vertical jump – 35″ (tested at the Arnold), that”s a 5″ PR over last year when I had it tested. Increased leg strength = better vertical!

  35. BTW, I just want to say that this is a great post, and absolutely true. I got my wife (now 29) to start training with me about 5 years ago. At the time she was about 145lbs, couldn””t squat to depth, could barely bench the bar, deadlifted about 115, and couldn””t press the oly bar or do 1 single bodyweight pullup. Now she competes in the 132 class and squats 235, benches 140, presses about 110, and has deadlifted 360 raw in the gym. She can now do 10 full bodyweight pullups, too. She holds several state and American records in the APF, WABDL, and soon to be USAPL. She has a smaller waist, very visible abs, and one sexy back and ass. Almost all of it is due to lifting heavy eating correctly (the rest is great genetics!).

    This is excellent. If you are she is not shy, then we could always highlight this in a post. Stuff like this is useful to inform gals about lifting.

    –Justin

  36. PR”s from saturday

    Squat: 405x5x3(Never thought i”d be able to this while still on linear progression)

    Press: 145x5x2(let the bar travel forward on last 2 reps of 3rd set)

    bw: 270

  37. I basically lived at work for seven days. Very little sleep, no milk, and insufficient food stuffs. Everything suffered this week except power cleans. I did make a monumental effort in the kitchen and came from behind to hit a body weight best: 205.5. That”s right, point five.

    Eight weeks and thirty two (.5) pounds. And I”m 39. Linear progression works, even for old farts.

    Now if I can get the strength I lost two weeks ago I”ll be all set.

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