SS: Novice Routine

N

nipponbiki

New Member
Well I am back consistently working out again, so much so that I thought it is time to start a new training log.

Some of you may remember that I hurt my back and quit training last year due to this and intense studies. After I stopped lifting, I kept quite a bit of the fat I gained during the bulk and lost even more muscle. So the first thing I did was 3 weeks of Lyle's PSMF and just lifted twice a week as heavy as I could, which was absolutely terrible compared to my previous condition.

During that time, I bought and read Mark Rippetoe's SS 2nd edition, PP, and Strong Enough?. Because I was coming back from such a long layoff and I was so weak during the PSMF, I decided to start completely over and do the novice program as is in PP, starting completely from zero (the bar) for every exercise so that I could relearn correct form and such.

Here is the program:

M: Squat 3 X 5, Bench Press 3 X 5, Chinups 3 sets to failure @ BW

W: Squat 3 X 5, Standing Press 3 X 5, Deadlift 1 X 5

F: Squat 3 X 5, Bench Press 3 X 5, Pullups 3 sets to failure @ BW

Bench and Press are rotated so that one always follows the other. Chins/pullups are done with a goal of 15 reps per set in mind. When I get to 15 reps on the first set, I will start weighted versions and do them in 3 X 5 fashion.

Starting Stats:

Height: 176 cm
Weight: 74 kg
Age: 30
Waist: 79 cm
Abdomen: 81.5 cm

I will measure my weight, waist, and abdomen at the end of each workout. I will also use my belt as a guide. I will be keeping very close tabs on my waist and abdomen, I refuse to get as fat as I did last year. I will immediately start dieting when I have to change from the 3rd hole to the 2nd hole on my belt. As I am measuring this every workout, I plan to adjust my diet as necessary to prevent this happening.

Goals:
To simply get as strong as I can during this simple linear progression program, and to keep this simple linear progression going as long as I can. I am not trying to gain weight (hypertrophy), but probably will (have already). I am willing to sacrifice progress in order to prevent too much fat gain. Specifically, I would really like the following:

Deadlift: 1RM @ 200 kg
Squat: 2 X BW for reps (3 X 5)
Bench Press: 1.5 X BW for reps (3 X 5)
Standing Press: 1.0 X BW for reps (3 X 5)
 
I actually started this program about a month ago, so I will post my workouts up to this point. Each workout will be posted as a separate post.

I forgot to mention that the 3 weeks of PSMF was very successful. I lost 5 kg total, 3.5 - 4.0 kg of fat.

I started the PSMF at 78.5 kg, ended it at 73 kg. I ate at maintenance for a few weeks before starting this program. I started this program at 74 kg.
 
Diet:

For breakfast and lunch, I decided to just slightly modify what I was eating during the PSMF. Plus, Mark Rippetoe strongly suggests drinking a gallon of milk a day, so the milk will be where most of my extra calories will be coming from.

Breakfast: Omelet (4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, cheese, spinach) and 2 full glasses of milk

Lunch: Boiled chicken, broccoli, carrots, and small potato.

Dinner: Whatever is made that night.

Including the 400 ml of milk in my daily Starbucks latte, I will be drinking between 2 - 3 liters of milk spread throughout the day.

I will be working out first thing when I wake up before going to work. On these days, I will have a pre-workout shake (300 ml milk, 25 g whey, 50 g dextrose, 5 g creatine) and post-workout shake (300 ml milk, 40 g whey, 60-70 g of dextrose). I will then eat the above mentioned breakfast 30 minutes after the post-workout shake and continue the rest of the day the same as non-workout days.
 
1st Workout - 2- 28 - 2008

For the each workout where I was doing an exercise for the first time, I started with just the bar, working up very slowly in weight and stopping when speed just started to slow down, as described in SS. Needless to say, the first few weeks of the program was very easy.

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 70 kg

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 65 kg

Chinups: 1 X 8, 1 X 7, 1 X 5 @ BW
 
4th Workout - 3-8-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 77.5 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 47.5 kg

Chinups: 1 X 10, 1 X 6, 1 X 4 @ BW

Weight: 76.8
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 83 cm

As you can see, weight is returning nicely with little change in waist/abdomen.
 
7th Workout - 3-15-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 85 kg

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 80 kg

Chinups: 1 X 10, 1 X 7, 1 X 6 @ BW

Weight: 75.6 kg
Waist: 79 cm
Abdomen: 81.5 cm

Weight continuing to return to pre-PSMF levels without increase to waist/abdomen.
 
8th Workout - 3-19-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 87.5 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 52.5 kg

Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 100 kg

Weight: 76.9 kg
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 83

At this point, the previous injury was beginning to rear its ugly head again. I was starting to really freak out as I just started this program only a few weeks ago. I really didn't know what to do except take some ibuprofen and really really concentrate on form.
 
9th Workout - 3-21-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 90 kg

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 82.5 kg

Pullups: 1 X 8, 1 X 6, 1 X 5 @ BW

Weight: 77.8 kg
Waist: 79 cm
Abdomen: 82 cm

Weight nearly returned to pre-PSMF level with nearly zero increase in waist/abdomen. My lower back injury really started to kick in again. I work out at home, and all I have is a power rack and adjustable bench, but I really just felt like I needed to do back extensions. I went ahead and just tried to do them on my bench supporting my feet in an awkward position by resting the heel just under the seat. I do not know why, but a simple single set of 10 @ BW really helped with the pain.
 
10th Workout - 3-24-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 92.5 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 55 kg

Chinups: 1 X 11, 1 X 7, 1 X 6 @ BW


Weight: 77.8 kg
Waist: 79.5 cm
Abdomen: 82.5 cm

Did another single set of 10 @ 5 kg for back extensions. They are really helping!!! Almost no lower back pain at this point.
 
11th Workout - 3-26-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 95 kg

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 85 kg

Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 110 kg


Weight: 78.4 kg
Waist: 79.5 cm
Abdomen: 83 cm

Did another single set of 10 @ 10 kg for back extensions, but this time support my feet under a loading bar resting on the rack pins (works much better this way). At this point, I am getting near to my previous strength levels despite being 7 kg lighter than last year!!!!! I am very happy at this point especially since my lower back is feeling normal for the first time in 18 months!!!
 
12th Workout - 3-28-2008

Squat: 2 X 5, 1 X 3 @ 97.5

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 57.5 kg

Pullups: 1 X 8, 1 X 6, 1 X 5 @ BW


Weight: 78.4 kg
Waist: 80.5 cm
Abdomen: 83 cm

First time I couldn't make the reps on squats. Actually, I stopped doing squats during my bulk last year because my ass got so big that I was splitting all my pants/jeans at the crotch, even new, bigger pants that I bought for my new, big ass!!! So, I am still getting used to them again and really trying to get the form correct getting the bounce at the bottom as stated in SS.

I could also start feeling the 3rd hole belt position feeling quite tight at this point. Up until this point, 1 liter of my total milk consumption was whole milk. I decided to make all of my milk consumption low-fat and see how it went for a while.
 
13th Workout - 3-31-2008

Squat: 3 X 5 @ 97.5 kg

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 87.5 kg

Chinups: 1 X 11, 1 X 8, 1 X 7 @ BW


Weight: 78.5 kg
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 82 cm

Got the reps on squat, felt much better than the previous day, form getting closer and closer to the ideal as stated in SS. Abdomen also calmed down a little, good.
 
14th Workout - 4-4-2008

Squat: 2 X 4, 1 X 3 @ 100 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 60 kg

Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 120 kg


Weight: 78.9 kg
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 82.5 cm


Well, I am doing Wednesday's workout on Friday, which means I skipped a couple of days. Had to go out of town Tuesday and Wednesday and was still too tired yesterday to do the workout. Not sure if this is why I sucked so bad on squats or not. I am seriously considering getting a video camera to check my squat form. I am still not feeling this so-called bounce at the bottom.

On a side note, this comes up from time to time on this forum about doing squats and deads in the same workout. So far, I do not feel like the squats are interfering with the deads at all. I feel strong and ready for them by the time I get to them.

Also, I am getting very close to my previous strength levels despite being just over 6 kg lighter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This I like. At least for the exercises I am doing so far, bench, standing press, deads, squats.

Also going to get some weightlifting shoes soon, still trying to decide what to get.
 
Just some thoughts I have had the last week or so.

I really think my abs are my weakest link in the chain. I need to do some kind of weighted situp, but not sure how to do this with my simple setup (power rack and simple adjustable bench only). But I need to do them.

Going to continue to do the back extensions. I would love to get the bench for this exercise, but I have no where to put it in the little room I am using now.

I will continue this simple linear progression as it is until I stall on something other than squats. When this happens, I will do a back off as described in PP. It will be at this point that I will start incorporating some of the other exercises I used to do, mainly weighted dips and bent-over rows.

I am also going to start doing power cleans, building up the weight very slowly since I cannot simply drop the weight in my apartment.
 
Perhaps you can do Hanging Leg Raises to build your abs.

I've recently started with power cleans. They are technically challenging, so it takes a lot of patience. I can't drop the weights either, although I work out in a gym. Doing them that way is better than doing them at all, I think.

The weights you're lifting are impressive, even more so coming from a layoff.
 
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(nipponbiki @ Apr. 04 2008,03:45)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Up until this point, 1 liter of my total milk consumption was whole milk. I decided to make all of my milk consumption low-fat and see how it went for a while.</div>
I use skim mik. It cuts total calories and fat significantly.
 
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