Well blow me down with a fart, 20 Q&A sessions! That’s about a 4 on the “take it or leave it” scale. It’s PR Friday, so post your weekly training PR’s or training updates to the comments. I enjoy seeing how people train and it definitely helps me a lot when you add tidbits of programming by either giving me ideas or confirming others.
Week Review
On Monday I thanked my DC homies and discussed the topic of coaching the female gender. Tuesday I traveled, and Wednesday was a post on being brief when coaching. Thursday was a reminder that there’s no easy way to success.
My reading list this week included:
Gant Grimes “Hybrid Programming” — This is by my dear friend, Gant Grimes, who is an exceptional man. All of these new CrossFitters don’t really understand that strength training was taboo several years ago, and Gant’s post on the CF discussion boards was monumental at the time. It had a large effect on my development and programming, and I just read through it all again last night. It’s something everyone here should check out. While there are some things that I’m sure Gant would change, the overall message still applies. (This was originally posted on the CF discussion boards, but it was summarized nicely in this post — all of it is Gant’s writing)
Judo tips by Gant — Since we’re talking about Gant, he coaches Judo and other martial arts, and is a very, very good coach. I’ve gotten to learn from him briefly, and need to get back on a judo mat somewhere. Here are tips if you decide to give it a go.
Bulgarian Training on Weightlifting Exchange — If you’ve heard of Bulgarian training but never really understood it, this will give you some good background. It’s focus is high intensity with specificity, yet is dependent on an advanced trainee with balanced musculature. In other words, lesser advanced trainees would need to adapt the concepts to their needs.
Biological clock graph — I thought this was interesting. I was reading about sleep cycles on Wikipedia when I saw it.
Beta-Alinine Dosing — Some new research is showing that dosing for beta-alinine is probably relevant to body weight (unsurprisingly), but more importantly beta-alinine may be a good supplement for short, intense, anaerobic endurance training. Interesting.
Now onward with the Q&A! Keep in mind that while some questions are specific, they will include general concepts applicable to everyone.
CONTINUE READING
This is a shortened (TL;DR) version of a question from CriedTheFox. The whole thing was really funny.
TL;DR I was pretty fucking fat, then wasn’t, now I’m much stronger but a little fat. That’s like the PB&J of stories…classic.
TL;DR #2 I weigh 193lbs at 5’6″ and squat 315lbs, what do i need to do to squat 455lbs and weigh 175lbs?
Also: For example. How the FUCK. does Brent weigh sub 160 at 5’5” and squat well into the 400s?
Dear CriedTheFox,
I like you, you’re funny. Let it be known that if people comment on the site regularly, I will go more out of my way to help them. It is known. There are various points of emphasis to make here.
The first is that your acknowledgement that Brent has trained longer than you is very relevant. Consider the differences of both of your histories. Brent was a skinny teenager who fucked around with stuff and then fucked around with weightlifting. He was okay, then got decently strong, then learned about proper nutrition and is much stronger at lighter body weights (and undoubtedly healthier for it). You were, as you say, fat, and then used a calorie deficit and calorie burning program to lose weight. Then you started training. I can assure you, there was a time when Brent only squatted 315. We all have an expression of our genotype, but what we do in our lives will have an effect on the phenotype. In other words, given your genetic predisposition, you can still alter the process to adapt, even if your adaptation won’t be as significant as someone who a) was born in a way that would make them better than you or b) who has been trying to adapt longer than you.
The second concept is that I’m unaware of your training program. That will definitely play a role in your success. To be honest, the main aspect is going to be “consistency” over time. Squatting twice a week for the next 18 months is going to have a profound effect on your squatting, even if we weren’t concerned with the weight. However, altering the rep ranges will have an effect on the strength/size ratio of development. Fewer reps results in strength increases without size increases. There is a really good discussion complete with program examples (including “low repetition programs”) in “FIT“.
However, I know that your goal isn’t to not get bigger muscles, but instead to decrease body fat. You mentioned that your diet is not optimal, and this will clearly have a profound effect on your body fat, but also your program success. One important aspect is insulin sensitivity. If you are not sensitive to insulin, then your whole hormonal situation is fucked. Things won’t work as well as they need to, and this is why I give a shit about quality. Besides, if you have quality sensitivity to insulin, then you can generate a better anabolic response to improve training. I’m actually going to do a nutrition post next week on the concept of insulin sensitivity. But if you wanted specifics I suggest a consultation; I’m going to be vamping up the consultation process and am bringing someone in that has similar methodology for nutrition consultations.
The basic tenet is train and eat smart consistently over time. Align the program and nutrition to meet your goals. Solidify the foundation before focusing on the minutiae.
Craig R. asks,
I was thinking about something today regarding lever arms, hopefully I can make sense of this over email. A more efficient lever arm seems to be one that has more muscle mass on each lever. If that holds true, would a taller lifter benefit more from a higher rep scheme 3×8-10, that would produce some hypertrophy in addition to making strength gains, versus an average lifter who has normal lever arms. Or should 5 reps be enough to elicit strength and mass in most lifters.
On one of the Starting Strength roundtable vids on Tall Lifters it sounded like for someone 6’5″, such as myself, I would have to weigh close to 300 pounds to be an effective powerlifter, based on the lever arms. I weigh 255 right now at probably 20%bf. I don’t want to weigh 300 nor be a powerlifter, but I would like to do a competition sometime for squat or deads and maybe a highland games. Am I stuck being a tall freak that should stick to basketball?
Dear Craig,
Yes, the longer a segment length is, more musculature would need to surround it in order to have similar angles of attachment compared to a shorter segmented lifter. It’s a result of the lever arms in mechanics. However, the repetition continuum still applies to taller guys. A rep range of 8 to 10 would focus on hypertrophy, or muscle growth, while three reps or less would have more of a strength focus. Using 5s is usually a balance between the two. However, if you were to use 8 to 10 reps per set, you are going to limit the amount of weight you can use and also not gain as much strength as you could had you used sets of 5. It may be relevant to use various assistance exercises in that repetition range to grow a group of muscles, but that would apply when the group of muscles will directly augment a more important lift.
An “effective powerlifter” is kind of vague. If someone were going to maximize their mechanical advantage with respect to their segment lengths, then perhaps 300 is a weight that would maximize that, but the discussion is arbitrary. Especially because it doesn’t apply to you. I think you are worried about the wrong things. Continue doing squats and deadlifts, throw in some power snatches, and start throwing. Throwers are typically tall with long limbs because the angle of release results in better throws (read up on angular momentum and consider buying/reading this book — it’s very good). People would kill to have your height, so don’t be the guy who’s complaining about owning a chest of gold. Take what you have, and do something with it.
Generic second-hand question from a soldier in Afghanistan:
I’m curious as to your opinion on additional assistance work that might be considered more “bodybuilding” or “isoloation” style exercises. Things like leg press, calf raises, and flies. Do you think they are a relevant assistance work? What about for an underdeveloped lower body?
Dear Ranger,
Isolation or “bodybuilding” type stuff has its place depending on the program. There are people who support this type of inclusion for the sake of hypertophy and aesthetics, but I know that your job requires more than sitting around (though you comically probably do a bit of that, too). For someone like you, I would simply say, “Squat.” If you squat three times a week for the next 8 weeks, then you’ll see the difference. As you know, squatting has a greater neuroendocrine response that is going to to create an anabolic response of growth much better than the leg press. It isn’t that leg press is bad, it’s just that squatting is so much better.
Plus, given the nature of squatting, it will translate well into moving through rough terrain with a load. Not to mention leg pressing would have more a net anterior force at the knee and could potentially irritate the knee when considering the other activity you are accountable for.
As for building up a lagging body part, whether for muscular size or strength purposes, I always prefer compound free weights. Think RDLs, barbell rows, and weighted pull/chin-ups, and dips. Once those are used regularly, you could utilize more isolation stuff like round back extensions, nosebreakers, french press, or curls.
If you are using each piece consistently for at least one to three months, the trend would be:
Frequency of primary lifts > Compound assistance > Strength-isolation assistance > Sprinkled BB movements
If you’re worried about squatting with respect to your job — some guys are understandably worried that fatiguing their legs could interfere — then I have some second hand information for you. I know some guys from OEF-8 who were in the (in)famous Korengal Valley. That fear existed, yet they trained anyway (though they weren’t squatting 3x/week). Some of the guys would even have races in full kit to get back to the OP — some ungodly climb of 800m or so (the PR was around 17 minutes I believe).
In light of your job, I would say squat. You could always hit up front squats as assistance, but if you’re squatting two or three times a week, you’re gonna see the difference. Just make sure they are deep with your knees out. Don’t even worry about the weight, just make it a bit challenging.
PRs:
Squat: 380 4×1; 320 2×3
Deadlift: 425 6×1; 345 2×3
OHP: 160 10×1; 145 2×3
Bench: 290×1 (too painful to do more)
MOB: Bands and lax balls came in the mail. I did MWOD episodes 6-10 plus some extra stuff for my goats.
I got all ten of those OHP through sheer force of will. I missed a few reps, got really focused/angry and tried again and nailed it. I’m traveling this weekend so I had an abbreviated week of training with just two sessions. My 12th rib is still hurting too much to row or bench. I tried benching anyway because I’m reckless and I almost had to scream in pain. Bad idea. I won’t be trying that again until the pain is pretty much gone. I started taking fish oil for the first time. I have had alergic reactions to fish before so I avoided it until now. No problems so far. I’m taking about 3 grams of combined epa/dha daily (5 Kirkland brand pills). I’m also taking cod liver oil just in case that does something good too.
Is it ok to take all of the pills at once or better to spread them out throughout the day so that there’s always a new supply coming in?
Programming tidbit – I just changed up my press programming based on a piece from this article: http://startingstrength.com/articles/stronger_press_starr.pdf
On page 4 he wrote “A sample workout might look like this: 115×5, 135×5, 165x3x3-6 sets with a back-off set of
10 with 145. The key to making this work is that you cannot add to the top-end work sets unless
you make every single rep in the routine, not counting the back-off set. Should you only be able to
make two reps on your final set with the work weight, you need to use that same amount at your next
pressing session. If you are successful, increase the top-end sets by five pounds. And so on and on
upward.”
I started with 165 for my triples and hit all 6 sets, so will move to 170 next week. I don’t do any direct accessory work on press days so I am thinking the increased volume will be beneficial.
To tack onto that, doing triples typically means you’re gonna be doing a higher intensity. Pressing benefits from exposure to higher intensity since the 3×5 will limit what intensity can be used, even if it’s done with ascending sets. This is why I like a weekly alternate of ascending 3×5 and ascending 3×3 on the presses for a lot of situations.
–Justin
Justin, thoughts on this? http://www.ericcressey.com/strength-training-programs-pull-ups-essential
I am enjoying the article (almost done with it). I nerd jizz when people talk about mechanics and anatomy. I can understand his point of view (of being wary of heavy weighted pull-ups), especially with respect to throwing athletes. I see it more as raising awareness about the “tight lats” issue, and it’s something I’m gonna file away. Note that the stretches he includes at the end are inferior to some quality MWOD stuff. We can probably avoid this “tight lat issue” by maintaining mobility in the region.
Lesson: Also work on general areas that aren’t necessarily your problem areas.
–Justin
I watched Rip’s video on halting deadlifts recently, paid particular attention to the setup procedure and especially the valsalva maneuver. It was great to see someone else go through the proper setup and I’ve been trying to emulate it for every rep. It is really helping out.
Pulled a 1RM PR @305#, felt nice, should have gone for 315#.
@Maslow – are you allergic to fish, or some type of fish oil? I went back to the Kirkland fish oil after I went paleo with horrible results. I got some weird acne and severe GERD from the ton of soybean oil Kirkland uses as a filler.
I have been doing the alternating 3×5/3×3 the past couple months and it has been great (I basically am back to my previous strenght and a lower bodyweight), but have seemingly stalled at 180. I am hoping this will help break that plateu.
@echo I’ve had bad reactions including some swelling in the throat to eating salmon and immitation crab (which I believe is pollock). I have avoided fish entirely since 2005 and have never taken fish oil. But holy shit I don’t want acne or heart burn. The fish oil does make me burp some. I was thinking about getting something liquid/higher quality next time.
5/3/1 has a pretty nice 3×5 / 3×3 ascending sets routine and has been working pretty well for me, though I’m pretty sure my 5’s progress is going to limit my 3’s / 1’s progress real soon.
Anyone have thoughts on this? Continue to push the 3’s / 1’s, or progress only when 5’s can be completed?
Note that while there are basic similarities (in that you do ascending 3×5 and 3×3), the effect of what I’m talking about and 5/3/1 are very different.
On a related note, one indirect reason the method I review again in this post is that it’s done with systemically stressful lifts. In other words, it’s done with a full-body training session (like squats and/or pulls) whereas 5/3/1 typically sets up a body area on its own day. Either method can be good or bad depending on the trainee.
–Justin
@Maslow, you might try Krill oil (lower n-3 content) or just try different brands to see if one works better than another. I think there are plant-based n-3 supps out there, too. Based on a discussion on this site a few months back, I use NOW Ultra Omega 3 as it’s the cheapest per-unit source. I ditched the Kirkland stuff because of the soy content.
No PRs. Finished week 12 of PSMF, though, so there’s that I guess.
Also, Justin, I saw this recipe and thought you might like to see it.
I just ordered this yesterday: http://www.vitacost.com/Vitacost-Liquid-Finest-Fish-Oil-Omega-3-DHA-EPA
My homie in DC, Jeremy, uses it. One shot-glass-size is about 5.2g of the good stuff (not of fish oil, but DHA/EPA, not counting over O-3s). Easier than pills, and it’s flavor is no big deal. I burped it while I was eating, and it tasted like a meadow of flowers. Sold.
–Justin
Awesome week for me:
Deadlift 255×5
Squat 220×11 (volume PRs)
Power clean: 153 for a double
Push press: 145 for a double
Hoping to crack 300 with my squat in the next four weeks or so.
@JT thanks. I got the vitacost krill oil but it doesn’t have much epa/dha. It’s also very expensive per mg and smells terrible. I’m going to order that liquid stuff you linked to. Thanks!
This week I tested heavy squat triples and got 415# for a triple, for a volume PR. Third would could have had suspect depth, but there’s no video, so I’ll take it.
41 y/o, about 180# bodyweight.
Awesome Month for me.
I have put 22.5kg on my squat (high bar) in the last 30 days without any body weight gain.
on Sunday i hit 140 for the first time (after my work sets at 122.5) it took me four attempts.
P.R’s
Squat 127.3 for 3 sets of 5 no belt.
I have traded out deads for R.D.L’s because i just want to build up some hammy strength and don’t care about the size of my dead so I did 60kg for 3 sets of 8. P.R. Hamstrings have been hurting since.
A question for Justin or anyone who has some good advice…
I remember a while back Justin saying he likes to switch a linear progression to 2x a week squatting to prolong progress.
Mine are getting pretty difficult at the moment, as in tempo slowing down, Time to switch?
Stats M/20/80kg bw
Not a lot of info here, but it depends on the person. If you aim to be generally strong, then I wouldn’t drop the DL totally for the sake of including RDLs.
This statement can still hold true: If a guy is squatting 3x/week and it is close or at the limit of the stress he can handle in one week, then it would behoove him to decrease the frequency to two sessions a week if he wants to continue progress. Otherwise he needs to adjust the stress application (i.e. shift the programming).
–Justin
PR this week:
bench – 3×5@210lb
O.P – 3×5@130lb
Question for more experienced guys, I’m not quite ready to move to TM yet, but when you were doing your LP did you ever taper your workouts for a time to have a just balls out day to see your 1RM? I want to do a lifting meet down the road but can’t right now with everything personally going on and consuming my weekends (grad school/wedding). But I just want to have a day where I see what I can do.
There’s no rule that says you can’t try it, but if you haven’t been doing higher intensity stuff it’s probably not a good idea (given the fact that I don’t know anything else about you). The lack of adaptation or experience could result in an injury. Instead, you could aim to do some ascending doubles. Thoughts?
–Justin
PW (Personal Worst): traveling for work during the DC 70sbig seminar so I couldn’t attend then got a terrible cold when I got back and couldn’t train…
Was cruising past 350 in a 3×5 squat linear progression before I left, so after a quick light day I should be back in gear. Want to see how far I can push into the 400s before I switch to a more advanced squat program.
Fucking A, thanks for the fish oil link Lascek. Question for lascek and other guys.
i want to start taking Vitamin D3 do you guys have any brand suggestions? Or just go snag the nature’s shit from target?
Stroup, use the fucking burning ball of hydrogen and helium in the sky. I can tell you exactly how much you need now that I found this fucking cool-ass calculator: http://nadir.nilu.no/~olaeng/fastrt/VitD-ez_quartMED.html
On a cloudy day in February on sand at sea level where I live, a pale caucasion should get 25 minutes of exposure on their face, arms, and hands every other day assuming no other vitamin D supplementation. You can find the same information for where you live, but you’ll have to get the latitude and longitude.
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen all day.
–Justin
Took this week off of lifting. Figured i would focus on improving my mobility but my order of resistance bands got all messed up. Almost killed myself.
Thanks for the recommendation, Justin. I may try that stuff at some point but the thought of straight-up fish oil kinda skeeves me out. Also FWIW I did some math and if you go by active EPA/DHA content, the NOW stuff on Amazon is like 0.016 cents per mg and the stuff you linked to is 0.015 cents per mg. Not a bad premium for having the stuff enteric coated if you’re a big baby like me.
I linked liquid, though.
–Justin
@PatrickStroup I take the Kirkland stuff, it’s fine and pretty cheap too. 4000-8000 IU a day really improves everything in my life.
@PatrickStroup I buy the Target store brand stuff (Up & Up). Was at 2000 IU a day (1 pill), have been taking 6000 a day recently.
Cool link to the Gant Hybrid template/guidelines. Good info for anyone to take in and apply to their specific goals.
Had an OK week training, nothing crazy.
Continental & Push Pressed #221 for a double – PR.
Matched my previous Rack Pull PR with a #635 pull. Not a big deal. Starting to alternate every other week with rack pulls and full pulls. We’ll see how this helps recovery.
zapata do you keep a training log anywhere online?
re Fish Oil.
I buy this stuff in bulk. Same size as Kirkland pills, but you don’t need to take as many.
http://www.puritan.com/nutritional-oils-068/triple-strength-omega-3-fish-oil-1360-mg-016105?np=1
No PRs, but I squatted 170 kg (~375 lbs) x5, pressed 68 kg (~150 lbs) x5 and deadlifted 182,5 kg (~402 lbs) x5 today.
I also get the puritan rescue C (like emergenC) in bulk from there.
@Stroup- just grab the nature’s brand when it’s on sale. I normally pop 5,000 IUs if I’m not getting sun and I noticed a rather sharp difference in mood after taking it for a few days.
prs
Squat 335 3×3
bench 240 3×3
@Stroup – Yeah, I have a log over at Greyskull under the Beginner Villain Logs under the same name. http://strengthvillain.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2969
Local asshole killed a state trooper this week so I let that be my motivation.
Bench
248 x 5,5,8
Deads
415 x 3, 3
Speed dead singles at 315 & 225
I also started taking powdered BCAA’s on the days I don’t eat before lifting…wow that stuff is vile.
Since this has turned into a bit of a Fish Oil/D3 discussion – I always buy 2 bottles of the GNC triple strength stuff when there’s a BOGO sale (this happens like once a month at least). I take 3 pills every morning (2.7g EPA+DHA total). As for D3 – I order the NOW brand on iherb.com (http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Vitamin-D-3-5-000-IU-120-Softgels/10421?at=0). The only other ingredients are olive oil, gelatin, glycerin, and water.
Set a 50# front squat PR this week @ 355#. I think this is a result of A – doing front squats once a week, B – switching to high-bar back squats (also once a week), and C – my “every minute on the minute” programming I’ve been doing.
193#->183# BW since summer I guess that’s a PR
Getting my Greyskull on…
LBBS: 315#x3,1
DL: 365#x3
Reset time.
Gonna pull 415 for a triple today, then maybe pull 480. I dunno. Just gonna see how I feel.
Finished Hartman’s Movember program last week (I started late…)
Back squat:
Old 1RM 325#, New 1RM 365#
Front Squat:
Old 1RM 300#, new 1RM 315#
OHP: 1RM 180#
Testing Oly this weekend, stay tuned.
Awesome, I forwarded him the info. What was your previous training program before this one?
–Justin
Training PRs-
Press: 155x4PR, 165×1 PR
Deadlift: 455×3 (vid below)- felt great, looked meh on video. I desperately need to bring up my hamstrings.
Bench: 185×10(Pr?), 205×3, 225×1- did a lot of volume this week
Squat: 365×3- not terrible.
BW: dropped six lbs over six weeks, now firmly in the 220 class, slowly leaning out.
So, after 6 weeks I’ve finished my run at PTP deadlift/press stuff. I’m currently beat down from fairly ludicrous volume this week (I got reckless since it was the last week, benched 4 times and pressed all 5 days, with the press PRs thrown in). I’m taking a few deload days for upper body, will test my press max next week, and go for a nice deadlift triple. Then…
I’m finally competing for the first time. It’s in two weeks, so I’m not even really going to try to dial everything in. Just going to go, get some experience, and hopefully pull a solid PR deadlift.
Deadlift video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP2DHI1naWo&context=C34b8502ADOEgsToPDskJSTRX8VNoSBp8BQ8a5NOoE
Not PR’s but getting close:
BS 275x3x5
DL 345x 5 singles
Several times now I have gotten up to a BS of 280 or 285 for 3×5 and then start failing – My guess is that I am failing to eat and sleep enough… So now that I am back near my “peak”, I need to stay diligent about my recovery so I don’t peter out again. I have a brother named Peter, and he’s a dick.
PR
LBBS 385x5x3
I’ve been taking the Barlean’s Cod Liver Oil and I’m diggin it. Doesn’t taste like fish at all and no burps.
I’m currently on a modified SS LP and I’m wondering If I have too much Volume in my warmup. I start with 45×10, 95×5, 135×5, 185×5, belt up 225×5, 275×3, 315×1, 365×1, then work sets at 385 this week. Should I reduce the volume in the warm up? I switched my mid week squats to front squat since I felt I couldn’t recover from heavy squatting 3 days a week. My anterior inside hip is just super sore all the time and I cn’t seem to mob it out. I’ve tried everything and haven’t found the fix. Any suggestions for either of those 2 things?
Volume of your warm up looks good to me, MG.
As per your hip issue: rest? I’m not sure what all you’re doing for it.
@magillaguerilla – If it were me, which it’s not, I would probably do something like 95×5, 135×5, 185×3, 225×3, 275×3, 315×1, 355×1. Not a huge difference, but I like to keep all my warmup reps feeling fast and easy. But I also suck at squatting so take this with a grain of salt.
Squat: 335×5
Deadlift:385×3 easy!
Justin, I bought your texas method e book, it was quite good especially the suggestion to move the deadlift to intensity day and go for a “3rm”.
But one question, the program is hard as it is, do I really need to do conditioning or if I didn’t do conditioning for a while(say 6 months) would it be detrimental?
Bench 295 x 3
PRs this week
#75 press
180# thick bar deadlift. First time doing this, it was fun.
Making atlas stones in my garage this weekend. Looking forward to it.
@samiam
I don’t do any conditioning in the winter, it comes back just fine when it’s warmer out.
Completely not interested in doing burpees or treadmill running or whatever inside.
Dear Craig — get out and throw and enjoy your mechanical advantage, you lucky bastard.
I haven’t been throwing long, but I’m about a foot shorter than you, and tall guys have a definite and pronounced advantage in Highland Games. My (totally unscientific) estimate is that for every inch of height + arm length that you have over someone my size, you can have 2-3% lower strength levels and throw just as far, assuming equivalent technique. One of my training partners is about your size and we did a video side-by-side (which I now can’t find) of both of us releasing the weight for height, and he releases it around 20 inches higher than I do, so you get almost two feet added to your throw just by standing up. Not that I’m bitter. . .
PS, Justin, the simple press grip thing you went through at the seminar last weekend has eliminated my wrist pain, so that’s sweet.
3x3x90kg BS yesterday
1x3x45kg Press
@samiam It’s all about your goals and finding the minimum effective dose. One suggestion Justin offered at the DC workshop was doing your assistance work as a circuit and maybe throwing in some jump rope. You can keep a little conditioning in the mix without doing hill sprints or 100 burpees.
or, you can try Kangoo jumps: http://www.expressnightout.com/2009/05/a_spring_in_your_step_kangoo_jumps_at_go/
due to nagging pain in shoulder, tricep and knee and one sick pregnant wife not much in the way of consistant training let alone pr’s. just one:100kg stone up to chest level box. used home-made stone trainer (2 in pvc pipe w/ heavy duty collars to hold plate weights.)works great and only cost me $4
After 6 weeks of oly lifting (no coach):
Snatch 155×1
C+J’d 190×1
Back Squat 335×1
Front Squat 275×1
Bench Press 225×1
Deadlift 445×2
Push Press 175×3
Power Clean 225×3
Thanks for this post, I thought I’d finally register.
I’m a big dude already and want to lose fat while gaining str. 6’2″ 280#. I turn 33 on Tuesday.
I was at a Crossfit gym much of ’10, and about half of ’11. Quit that to have a baby and save some cash. Found this after looking at SL5x5.
I’m deficient in a lot of muscle groups, from years of doing jack shit. Do have some decent strength already, my max deadlift last year was 455#.
Goal coming here is to get back to where I was when I quit for the baby. Big mistake, should’ve just found a way to occasionally work out instead of go to zero.
Been doing this for about a month now at home. http://70sbig.com/wp-content/uploads/files/Articles/Lascek_S&CP_v2.0.pdf
PRs:
Deadlift: 3×490#
Hang Snatch: 170#
HBBS: 2x5x315#
Snatch: 2×178#
Oh and just started Oly training with Max Aita at United Barbell in San Francisco. Dude is a monster and all around good guy.