Rooster's Log

[gallo_blanco]

Ok, let's try this again.

I'm gonna try to keep my records online to be criticized and kept in a safe permanent place that I can not lose myself. I'm also starting a new routine focused on strength gain to see what comes of it.

I came across Rippetoe's beginner workout and figured, "What the hell?" While I've been dicking around bouncing from routine to routine, I'm always looking at my numbers first and foremost, so, why not place that as the priority? Plus, I want to see what kind of body changes occur if I focus on strength training.

I am: 5' 7"
30 yrs old...soon to be 31...
214 lbs.

Goals: Bench - 350 lbs
Squat - 450 lbs
Deadlift - 450 lbs

[gallo_blanco]

#1

Squat
45x5x2
95x5
145x3
195x2
245x5x3 <---Work Sets

Bench Press
45x5x2
115x5
160x3
215x2
235x5x3<---Work Sets

Deadlift
135x5x2
195x3
275x2
325x5<---Work Sets

Shrugs
345 x (8,8)

Chin-ups (BW) x (8,7,7)

Hanging Knee Raises x (10,10,10)

I'd never really performed the Hanging Knee Raises before. I went to the Knee Raise Chair first, but, after a couple sets on that....I felt nothing in my midsection at all, so, I went back to bringing my knees to my chest from the pull-up bar. These really seem to hit the whole abdominal region in a way unlike sit-ups, flutter kicks, leg raises, crunches or any other sadistic military calisthenics have ever hit them....in low reps too! I'm not getting rid of these bad boys anytime soon.

I felt pretty tight in the lower back today. I use to feel that when I first started squats a while back, but, have never narrowed that down to improper form or just getting the region back into shape.

I went to the local Atlas/Powerhouse gym for this workout and saw a guy in the corner at the power rack doing Squats and Rack Pulls. He was doing singles the whole time and putting up over 500 on the squats and the over 400 on the rack pulls. It's hard not to feel competitive when seeing that and to keep myself from stacking the iron on and seeing what I can do.... Another thing is, I have been, more or less, working with the idea of building mass. After looking at this kid putting up some good numbers, I hope that I improve my appearance along with my strength as well. He just has an average looking build. I would never have guessed this kid to be associated with the gym had I seen him elsewhere. I've always enjoyed being able to measure my progress fitness wise by seeing improvement in the mirror. Ego stroking or not, SEEING the gains in the mirror helps out sometimes.