I hope you are enjoying your holidays. If you trained through the the last week or so, then today is PR Friday. Otherwise share your goals for 2012. Let’s get to some questions. Unless otherwise noted, these are all from a recent thread on the Facebook Fan Page.
Spencer B.:
No gym access for two weeks…what should I do to maintain strength?
Dear Spencer,
Strength is a persistent adaptation and you won’t be losing much of it in a two week period. What you’ll most likely lose instead is your adaptation to the strength training. When you start training again you’ll be more sore than normal and your blood vessels won’t be used to the higher pressure of lifting. This is why I have always advocated having a light day when first getting back in the gym. Gradually increase the weight and stress over a few training sessions. If you had a significant layoff, then use the first week as a ramp up. It’s better to do to little than to do too much.
As for training or working out during your break, consider what physical attributes are lacking with respect to either overall fitness, athletic ability, or your specific goal(s). It may be a good time to work on muscular endurance via calisthenics (especially if you’re in the military and have to deal with PT tests). 99% of you need to work on mobility on a daily basis. Others could implement a sprint or conditioning program. Still, if strength and size are your primarily goal, you could do some sort of plyo calisthenics to focus on a speed and power element. For example, clapping pushups, speed pull-ups, and jumping squats could be done for sets of five to ten. Gymnastics type stuff can apply a strength training stress through a different angle or range of motion.
The overall point is that it’s not a long break and you won’t lose significant strength. Take care of your body and feel free to dabble in some un-used training modalities.
Kyle S.
1. What’s the recommended grip for the barbell row? I’ve been using bench width, but does it matter or is it just personal preference/which muscles you want to focus on?
2. Can you work on pull ups every day (or even multiple times a day), or is that too much stress to recover and adapt?
Dear Kyle,
1. For the same reasons as the bench press, the optimal grip will be similar to the bench in which the forearms are vertical and the elbows are over the wrists. This should be pretty much the same position on the bar (for me, it’s pinky on the rings). My opinion is that if you’re using the row for strength training purposes, use this efficient grip. If you’re going for a swollertrophy effect, do whatever you want. However, just like in the bench press, the most efficient method will train all of the musculature evenly. After a rowing session, my entire lat will be sore all the way down to my iliac crest. But I’m also sore in the upper middle back area where the middle traps and rhomboids are. It’s a very effective exercise. I don’t really see a point with messing with the grip until the hypertrophy is a primary goal. For example, the close grip bench is used to improve the lockout of a raw bench, but the close-grip row wouldn’t have utility to improve the performance of another lift.
2. Whether or not pull-ups can be done every day depends on what else is in the training program and what the trainee is adapted to. If you have a break from strength training, then daily pull-up training is probably fine if don’t do too much. If you’re only adapted to about 30 reps, don’t do 50. To be safe, just take a day of rest in between pull-ups sessions. However, if you’re using the frequency method then you’ll be doing a low enough number that can be done daily (yet you’ll obviously take a day or so of rest at some point in the week).
Blake S.
Taco Bueno vs. Taco Cabana vs. Taco Bell? Choose your answer wisely.
Dear Blake,
Dude, all of those fucking suck. I can’t imagine a shittier quality of food. You clearly like torturing your digestive system. For real, if any of you eat at these places regularly, you’re unconcerned with optimal performance, aesthetics, health, or…anything. I’d rather wax my grundle.
Justin C.
1. How many sets for volume day when moving squats to 3rm? I’ve been doing 8×3 but should I go to 5×3 with heavier weight?2. Also, in the book you mention a back off set on ID when using 3 reps or less, with your example being 15lbs lower than the PR attempt. Does doing this back off set change VD or not?
Dear Justin,
1. Don’t focus on the number of sets, but the overall volume. In the first year or so in the TM, we use a relative drop in volume as a stressor (this is explained in detail the second book). Your volume will be relative to what you’ve been doing recently, so it’s hard to answer this questions. You do not need to do eight triples on VDy just because you’re doing a triple on the ID. In fact, if you remember from the book, trainees should aim to get to 3×5 on the VD.
2. The back off set does not change the VD. The 15 pound drop is a minimum, so feel free to have a greater decrease. The point is to get some more reps with decent intensity.
Jason K.
I’m only just learning the Oly lifts. I want to get back to lifting heavy, but continue doing the Oly stuff at least twice a week. Any programming advice? FWIW, my best strength results have come from 5/3/1.
Dear Jason,
Now that I’m reading this again, I have no clue what you’re asking. You want to strength train but have been doing Oly stuff? You want to do an Oly program? It’s more important for me to point out that your clarification that 5/3/1 has given you the best results is irrelevant — unless you’re older. It works well with older guys because it doesn’t have a lot of volume so it prevents the hard-headed overtraining associated with the male gender. However, we don’t know anything else about you, specifically your training history and current state of adaptation. The fact that 5/3/1 “worked” for you may be because you were on shitty programs before doing it. Who knows, maybe you were doing CrossFit before it. In any case, saying that 5/3/1 gave you best results may or may not be relevant when committing to a programming style.
Marquis B.
Using 4×5 as a volume scheme on texas method. yes, no terrible idea?
Dear Marquis,
It depends. The current state of adaptation and the prior training history will dictate this. 4×5 may be useful in a portion of the program when the lifter is gradually reducing the volume over time, and it may be a bad idea when the lifter is adapted to lower amounts of volume. Folks, remember that context isn’t just relevant, but entirely necessary when trying to talk about programming.
Jose C.
Should someone who is only focused on olympic lifts bench press? My experience before focusing on olympic lifts was that I benched once or twice a week depending on programing and I had some bench strength but no mobility for overhead. Now after not benching for nearly 6 months, 135 feels heavy, but I am a lot stronger overhead than I have ever been and much more mobile. Able to snatch over bodyweight etc. Thoughts?
Dear Jose,
My first response is that 135 should never, ever feel heavy for someone who lifts regularly. Assuming you didn’t mean kilos, it’s okay, but I think that this weak bench is something to address. My next statement is objective and not mockery: If 135 pounds on the bench press is heavy, then you aren’t lifting enough in the Oly lifts to warrant a specific weightlifting focus that ignores the bench. Another way of saying is that you are pretty weak, so the bench press is something that will help you not be weak.
Anatomically, the bench press trains structures that will help improve your strength and stabilization in overhead movements. Consider a snatch in which the bar travels to far back. By having decent anterior shoulder and pec strength, you’ll be able to wrangle it back forward to it’s proper positioning. More strength around the shoulder means more stability when going overhead, even if the mechanics aren’t perfect.
My last point is that most famous weightlifting programmers from countries with better historic results in the Olympics and world competitions will have beginning lifters bench press. The frequency might range from once every seven to ten days. Eventually, an intermediate weightlifter will drop the bench in favor more weightlifting specific training, yet the bench can be useful early on in order to establish musculature and strength to support shoulder strength and stability.
Here is another point from Brent:
jose it depends on if you’re ok with some high school fuck head in junior varsity football benching more than you. that’s mainly why i bench. mobility shouldn’t be an issue if you have a resistance band and a lacrosse ball. it’s not necessary for oly but it absolutely doesn’t hurt and may even help if your shoulders need to be stronger. imo touching bottom with good external rotation and driving through the middle of a pr bench feels just as good as smoking the pull in a pr snatch and receiving it exactly where it needs to be
I still have some questions from the Facebook thread, but I’ll save them for another time. I used to care about answering all the questions, but then I took an arrow to the knee.
See you guys next year. And please…be safe.
My goals include:
Not having a torn glute
Breaking WPC World records in May
Growing a real good beard
Drink more whiskey
I’m already setting myself up for success with the last one by getting Jameson for New Years Eve.
I have some lifting goals, as you’d expect, but I’ll throw in one that I don’t think many on here will share: getting the splits.
Left Arm is in an above-elbow cast for the next 5 weeks. PR 1-Arm Hook Grip Deadlift 365lbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzThboqH65M&context=C30cf749ADOEgsToPDskKDorU09Bxm2oKFEYcmPOvX
Goal for 2012 is to Squat 500lbs, Press 225lbs, Snatch 100kg, and (if my herniated discs cooperate) Deadlift 500lbsX5
Thanks for the answers. I finally have an at home pull up bar and am going to start using the frequency method to grease the groove.
No PRs, still in regaining ground mode, but I’m real close to where I was and things feel easier and generally more solid. I project January and February to give me some real legit PRs before I have to move to a TM setup, which I think will need to happen in March, certainly by April.
2012 goals:
Squat 455×5
Bench 315×5
Press 225×5
DL 500×5
Row: 315×5
20 consecutive pull ups
Clean up body comp, introduce some conditioning (probably intervals and KB snatches), do a meet (even if it’s an informal one at a local gym), mob regularly, get freakin’ huge, solid, thick and tight in 2012.
Justin, in the training logs on the site to the left (AC, Mike) these guys are doing curls. What benefit do curls have in strength training?
thanks
2012: Raw USAPL Nats in TX or bust. 375 wilks minimum, 400+ stretch goal.
Jan 2012: 200/300/400/500 in one session. I’ll send in the vid.
@aramirez: I’ll field this one. http://www.70sbig.com/blog/2010/06/pr-friday-13/ Halfway down, bro. TL;DR: Do curls to get some work on musculature that might get overlooked in an LP and to strengthen connective tissue, and because we all want guns.
2012 Goals:
Graduate with my Master’s
Get job with FBI or State Department
Reach adulthood (200lbs)
In your answer to Blake seem to be implying that getting to 3×5 on VD is some kind of goal. Huh?
I’ve read the TM by Justin Lascek at least 3 times, and I’m looking at the volume day sections and I don’t see anything about “trainees should aim to get to 3×5 on the VD.” What are you talking about?
I thought the VD progression was 5×5 then 8×3 and then perhaps doubles… Can you clarify?
Tested 1rm this morning.
SQ: 385
BP: 315
DL: 450
Goals for 2012
Lifting:
SQ: 450
DL: 525
BP: 350
OHP: 250
Life:
Get a promotion
Impregnate wife
@harveymushman
Thanks, what would be a god rep/set scheme? And what style curl is best, dumbell, barbell, hammer, etc?
Woo hoo! Finally get to post on PR Friday! Not that they’re particularly impressive, but they aren’t bad for a former college cross country guy.
Anyway, here we go: BW 165 @ 5’10” (up 30 lbs from pre-lifting weight). Did a CrossFit Total (relax, I don’t do metcons, just SS for now) on Wednesday.
Squat 235, Press 122.5, Deadlift 280, all PR’s. Also Bench Pressed 130x5x3 using a more WSBB-style form, which I liked. It wasn’t necessarily easier, but it felt better.
PR squat this week of 265×7
Goals for 2012:
300-400-500 in the three lifts
Justin,
Piggybacking off of aramirez’s question.
When it comes to bicep curls, I can’t really do dumbell curls. (at least not yet) The reason I can’t is I only have bumper plates, and a pair of thick dumbell handles I made.
I don’t have enough plates to make an even amount on each handle, and even if I did just 1 arm bicep curls, the plates will be gigantic and awkward for curling with 1 arm.
I have a couple regular olympic bars, and an ez curl bar (I mainly use for lying tricep extension).
What type of programming would you suggest with what I have available? Are just straight bar curls ok? Or should single arm curls be mixed in as well and I need to find some steel?
Thanks!
Goals for 2012
Squat: 315
Snatch: 125
C&J: 180
Deadlift: 335
Bench: 170
Goals for 2012:
Press 98
Bench 143
Squat 213
Deadlift 273
Clean and Jerk BW
Eat real/whole food and be a hot mom
Be stronger.
Goals for 2012
Less reading more lifting & posting.
Goals for 2012:
– 575/315/600 Raw (SQ/BP/DL)
– First PL meet
– Build a 3D back
– Put a few inches on arms
– Reach 220 LBM
– Close CoC 2.5
Hit 210lbx5 on the bench and 317.5×5 on the squat this week.
2012 goals:
225/315/405, all x5, in the big 3, followed by:
<15% bodyfat while maintaining as much strength as possible
First, a PR:
140 kg hang clean
2012 goals:
1. 85 kg bodyweight, 10-13% bodyfat (94 kg, 16-20% currently)
2. 120 kg snatch (100 kg)
3. 160 kg clean and jerk (137 kg)
4. 185 kg front squat (165 kg)
5. 235 kg back squat (205 kg)
6. 145 kg power clean (135 kg)
This weeks PRs:
c&j – 85
snatch -70
deadlift – 320×5
I trained 3 days/week for the last 3 months and will start your 4 day olympic lifting newbie program* next year and move to a cleaner diet (no more sodas, less carbs).
I have two questions regarding the program, if you don’t mind:
1, I must do the oly lifts on monday and friday – so I have to do the second strength day on thursday and wonder if I should move stuff around (deadlift friday? press instead of bench on day before snatch? switch order of strength days?) to minimize the negative effect.
2, Should I do any kind of reset? (read in the starting strength wiki that one should aim for former PRs in week 4-6)
Thanks and a happy new year to all!
* http://www.70sbig.com/blog/2010/02/getting-into-weightlifting-part-3/
Overhead Press – 200 x 1 (strict)
HBBS – 345 x 3. Ezpz(the PR was not the weight, but how easy it was)
Bench – 275 x 3. Ezpz(same as above)
Bench PR: 280×5
For some reason, I bailed at 4 on my first attempt. Had enough in the tank to hit 5 on my next attempt.
As for 2012 goals, keeping things modest cos next year’s going to be pretty hectic: Want to surpass 405 on my squat 5RM… Need to cut about 15-20 pounds, I’ve been binging on candy lately…
Front squat PR – 91 kg
Definitely had some epic training sessions this week. Really happy with the progress I’ve made on my clean. Stood up 82 kg from a dead stop. That’s not something I’d like to do again. Catching the bounce would be better for sure.
I also did 8 consecutive chins. One step closer to getting back to 10, but with a bodyweight 35 lbs higher.
Oh, main 2012 goal is the American Open, so I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing.
What the fuck?
First off, Blake S. is an idoit for putting Cabana in the same category as Bueno and Taco Bell.
Secondly, Taco Cabana is better Mexican food than 99% of what you find outside of Texas.
Thirdly (and the point I care the least about), if you lay off the cheese, Cabana is about as healthy as you can get from a chain, since it is mostly grilled meats, fresh homeade torillas, rice, beans, and freshly made salsas. And great fucking breakfast tacos.
This may be a mute point, but I just created an account souly to defend TC. Irregardless of what others might say.
I guess I should post my goals for 2012:
Press: 275lbs
Power Clean: 275lbs
Squat: 405lbs
Deadlift: 500lbs
400m run: < 1:10
Goals for 2012:
Become active in 70s big community
Grow at least one sideburn hair (I’m 20)
Squat 550lb (current max 470)
Deadlift 600lb (current max 525)
Bench 365lb (current max 325lb)
Press 225lb (current max 187lb)
Become proficient in snatch, clean, jerk.
Weigh 231lb (Currently 209)
Justin, I’ve found the sticking point for deadlifts (1×5+) for me to be between 405-420lbs, depending on how well I’m rested and have been eating. Given my profession, both can get rather lousy. I’m breaking first at the thoracic spinebut am able to maintain my lumbar. Any suggestions on strengthening the thoracic?
With the above in mind, is there anything wrong with spending a couple of weeks at the same weight working on cleaning up the form before moving on? i.e. staying at 405×5+ until I’m thrilled with the form?
Goal for 2012:
Stop sucking so much dick at every lift.
Total 1500, under 220 if possible.
Press 240
Do 20 chinups
Compete twice, thrice if possible
Grow a badass beard.
Goals I plan on reaching in 2012:
200/300/400/500
press/bench/squat/deadlift
would be awesome to do it all in one session like cloud, no plans to at this point though.
also clean and jerk 275 lbs and 20 dead hang chins/pulls
lastly I will definitely be competing in a strength sport in 2012, not sure if it will be powerlfiting, weightlifting, strongman, or highland games, all I know is that I’m doing one of them when I feel my body is ready.
Recent PRs using some bench programming help from Cloud.
210x2x5, 210×8 and definitely left some reps in the tank.
2012 Goals
1450 Meet Total
get below 240 lbs
Maybe get my wife pregnant or something queer like that life goal wise.
Thats it really.
Ha stroup has a wife. That’s so gay.
@aramirez
Because guns are fucking sessy.
Goals:
1. Find job
2. Get Ph.D.
3. Squat 225
4. DL 275
5. Bench 165
6. c+j bw
89kg Snatch PR today.(98kg body weight)
~ 5 weeks out from my second OLY meet – this in Colorado Springs, CO. on 2/4.
End of the year PR’s : 500dl and 415 squat.
Got inspired by Justin and hit a 190 lb. clean and press at 183 bodyweight.
Thanks for the inspirational site. I got off my butt and started oly lifting (in my commercial gym). First comp done, registered for my second.
Goals for 2012 are to keep competeing and to get the elusive (for me) 100 kg snatch.
Happy New Year
Went for a final 10-lb. squat PR of 440. Ground at it for 4-5 seconds, but could not get it past halfway. Failure like this gets me amped to really hit things hard in 2012. Hit what was technically a deadlift PR of 415, but I triple at 405, so I was not impressed. Being weak makes me angry!
Goals for 2012: squat and DL 500, Overhead press 250, compete in a PL meet, compete in a strongman meet (need to really improve my grip and my DL).
2012 goals:
Squat:315
Bench:225
Dead:400
Life:
Disregard bitches, acquire gains.
2011 prs:
185 lb squat (yesterday)
220 lb deadlift (two weeks ago)
press bad enough I haven’t bothered
Resolution: get a belt (and that’s why I registered on 70sbig…) Any recommendations on a belt for a female who’s got about 3 inches between hipbone and ribs? I’m 5’1″ and shortwaisted. I’m looking at you, karibot.
@ktheory
head to the startingstrength forums and find the “best belts” thread. a bunch of ladies in there were discussing 3 inch belts. “best belts” is the company, btw.
TODAY:
Form PR: Improved hip drive out of bottom of b.squat
500m row PR: 1:29.9
2012:
build some nice Oly platforms.
get paid to help others git fit
BW+ snatch
1RM PRs: 12/31/11
Deadlift, 1x245lbs
OH Press, 1x95lbs
@ 132.0lbs BW
Way to end the F’ING year, whoo!
I’ll start the new year in about 48 hours with new squat and bench PRs. ;)
Set 1RM PRs on 12/31 as well:
Squat 450 – 10 lb PR
Bench 300 – 25 lb PR, finally got there!
At a bw of about 210. Pumped to start a new year of strength.
@ktheory
Sweet lifts.
Ellee, TBone, and I had a discussion about this on a PR Friday thread a few weeks back. I’m planning on following Ellee’s suggestion and ordering “the junior belt” from Bob’s Belts. In the meantime, I’ve found a ratty old belt at my gym that’s probably made for adolescent boys, and it seems to work decently well without moving around too much. I’d say it’s 3″. However, I’m 6″ taller than you. Given your height and shortwaistedness, I’d worry that 3″ would be too wide. But I’m still trying to figure this out too, so who knows.
2012 Fitness Goals
Gain 20lbs without increasing body fat %.
Body weight Hang Clean/Push Press
20 Strict Pull Ups.
Give up sugar and wheat. This of course does not include fermented wheat. Lets not go crazy.
Consume alchohol daily. For medicinal purposes, of course.
Do a 5k. No training. I just want to see how fast I am.
Guys, are you really debating about curls? Yes, do them. No, it doesn’t really matter how you get it done. Give yourself 5 minutes on the clock at the end of your workout and do as many curls as you can with whatever implements look interesting. Kiss your bicept peak when done. Repeat 3-7 days later until you’re awesome. The weights will go up as your arm gets closer to 20″.
Utexas61 – I agree. Taco Cabana is completely adequate and borderline delicious at times. Their carne guisada is better than anything you can get outside of TX (even though it’s no longer on the menu, they still have it if you ask for it). If you’re at UT, stop in at Hyde Park Gym and introduce yourself to some of us.