SS: Novice Routine

23rd Workout - 4-28-2006


Squats: 3 X 4 @ 120 kg (actually a little over 122)

Bench Press: 3 X 5 @ 102.5 kg

Deadlift: 1 @ 140 kg, 1 @ 137.5 kg


Weight: 80 kg
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 83.5 cm


This 5-kg jump in squats is quite difficult. Although the numbers are just slightly better than Saturday, it was quite a bit of progress. My form was rather questionable on Saturday and it just felt like I was overreaching. Today felt pretty good, form was good, it was just brutally hard. I think I will get it Tuesday.

Bench is getting hard. I had to really fight for the last rep on the last set, like I do with squats. Think I will do 1-kg increases after 105.

Well, I overate as promised (80 kg!!! - crap), but it didn't help so much. I made my own straps from a nylon luggage belt. And, like Lol, I am doing these with the squat shoes now. I will just try 137.5 kg for my next session. I thought deads were the one exercise that was supposed to increase in weight rather quickly and easily.

However, there was definitely progress made since Saturday. I will take progress over new PRs any day.

Also, I am going to weigh all my plates and bar tomorrow. Starting next week, I am going to post actual weights, not the sum of the rubber numbers on the plates.
 
2nd Metcon Workout - 4-29-2008

Today I tried the crossfit workout called 'Fran'.

Thrusters @ 95 lbs \
Chinups / 3 sets -21 reps, 15 reps, 9 reps each- for time


Thrusters are cool. It is a front squat which leads into a push press as one movement. I have never done a thruster before, and this also makes the first time doing front squats. Unfortunately, I do not have the flexibility to hold the bar correctly during the front squat, so my push press ended up being more of a regular press.

I thought I could do this between 10-12 minutes, but my time was 18:17. Fatigue was just as much a problem as being out of breath for this workout, so it did not kick my a$$ nearly as hard as last week. My shoulders were burning during the thrusters and I had to partition the chins.

I still had to lay down and not move for awhile after finishing, but I recovered quickly and feel pretty good except for that leftover lack-of-oxygen headache.

However, I will not do heavy deadlifts before metcon day anymore if I can help it.

(edited: rank was 397/400)
 
After doing a bit of research on video cameras, I decided it is a bit too early to jump into the new AVCHD format for hi-def camcorders, which is nearly all that is sold now. So, I searched around for what camcorders were highly rated a few years ago, and got a Panasonic GS250 via Yahoo auction. I really wanted a hard-disk or flash based device, but this mini-DV tape based one will work for now.

I will of course be recording my form for my own analysis, but if it would be of interest to any of you, let me know and I will post them in this log.
 
<div>
(nipponbiki @ Apr. 29 2008,8:23)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I will of course be recording my form for my own analysis, but if it would be of interest to any of you, let me know and I will post them in this log.</div>
*raises hand*
 
24th Workout - 5-1-2008

As mentioned previously, I weighed my bars and plates. I found out my bar is only 17.5 kg, so I am not nearly as strong as I thought!
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Squats: 1 X 4, 2 X 3 @ 117.5 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ 64 kg

Power Cleans: bunch of practice, then 1 X 5 @ 46.5, 1 X 4 @ 56.5 kg


Weight: 80.2 kg
Waist: 81 cm
Abdomen: 83.5 cm


Regressed a bit on squats. My legs have been feeling really tight since the metcon workout. There was quite a bit of crackling during my warmups. I guess it is going to be a while before the metcons don't effect my Thursday workout. If I don't get the reps in squats this week, I will have to deload.

Got the reps for presses. It is the same weight I didn't quite get last time, just now I am posting the actual weights.

First power clean workout, and I have absolutely no idea what I am doing yet. I will just have to keep trying, and re-reading that chapter again and again.

I did video all my sets, but I have no idea how to edit and post on the internet yet, so just give me some time. I definitely need feedback on cleans.
 
Workout on Thursday was so late that there would have only been 32 hours between workouts if I worked out yesterday, so I decided to skip Saturday and workout today.

However, my lower back was hurting yesterday and when I woke up today too, so I just did some back extensions and situps. I plan to do Saturday's workout tomorrow, forget the 3rd workout for the week and do the Tuesday metcon on Tuesday.
 
I like the way you worked the sore parts, rather than rested, as most do. Never say &quot;die&quot; man. Good work.
That lightweight bar really had to hurt the feelings, didn't it?
 
25 Workout - 5-5-2008


Squats: 1 X 5, 1 X 4 @ 117.5 kg, 1 X 4 @ 115 kg

Bench Press: 1 X 5, 1 X 4, 1 X 3 @ 101 kg

Deadlift: Didn't happen.


Weight: 79.3 kg
Waist: 80.5 cm
Abdomen: 83.5 cm


Really thought I was going to get squats today after the first set.

I am definitely going to do 1kg jumps on bench and standing press from now on.

Deadlift---I really don't know what the problem is. I knew I wasn't feeling strong today, so I dropped the weight to 132.5, and I still couldn't move it.

After analyzing my form frame by frame for a couple of hours, I noticed that I am actually making a slight circle movement with my knees and hips at the bottom of the squat. Very strange and I don't know how this started happening. I am also trying to lift the weight up and slightly forward for some reason, as if I wanted to throw the bar forward away from me. Thus, my hip drive is not straight up. Also, my knees come just slightly in toward the bottom. Also noticed my wrists are not totally straight although I thought I already corrected that.

I really tried to correct these things today, and I had some success. Some reps were better, some were just like before. Anyway, I am going to start next week back at 105 and really concentrate on correcting these problems.

Also going to reset deads back to 130. But if I cannot get back on track with actual linear progression soon, it's going to be time to end this program.

If you work out completely alone in your house, I strongly recommend getting a video camera. There is only so much you can do on feel alone. However, if I lived in the US, I would rather pay for some real coaching for a short time just to nail the form.
 
<div>
(nipponbiki @ May 05 2008,3:26)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Deadlift:  Didn't happen.

...

Deadlift---I really don't know what the problem is. I knew I wasn't feeling strong today, so I dropped the weight to 132.5, and I still couldn't move it.</div>
Yup, musta set the bar down in a puddle of that superglue...
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<div>
(nipponbiki @ May 05 2008,2:26)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">If you work out completely alone in your house, I strongly recommend getting a video camera.</div>
this is a great point. even if you do have a gym partner, it's nice to be able to review your form. for one thing, it's an honest evaluation of what's happening. sometimes our senses betray us a bit or our thinking is biased.

another reason is to see progress over time. it's encouraging to look back at previous videos and compare them to my current atrocities. hey, at least I'm getting better!
 
I would expect the good advice to hit this forum and get mangled! I will bet you that you can do a PERFECT rep, post the vid here and six people will tell you what you did wrong! Not that they're flaming or anything, but when you post a vid, people expect you want help and are very willing to give it.

Sounds to me like you've had a weak day, exacerbated by a difficult squat routine that wore you out. Don't let it get you down man, deads after squats is suicide anyway on a maximal day. You will overcome!
 
Thanks for the support guys.

I am not feeling down about not making lifts so much. I was expecting (hoping) that I would at least make some strength gains over my previous levels last year. So far I have regained all of my lost strength, but not much more than that.

Anyway, this is a beginner's routine of linear progression until that stops. I stop the program when linear progression stops, but not before trying a few things to jumpstart it again.

I am debating whether to move into 5X5 or do a vanilla HST after this is over.
 
3rd Metcon Workout - 5-6-2008


Today I did the crossfit workout called Diane, which is similar in design to what I did last week.

3 sets: 1 X 21, 1 X 15, and 1 X 9 of both deadlifts @ 225 pounds and handstand pushups---for time. The exercises are done back-to-back, not all deads, then all handstand pushups.

My time: 14:57

But I didn't do all the handstand pushups, I just did 3 sets of 10 basically. Still though, better than last week although different exercises. Of course it is hell, but I don't feel so obliterated now that it is over like before.

Had to partition the deads a bit, I kept losing my grip! I'll register my time over at crossfit---probably will be rank 397 out of 400 like last week!
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(edited: 184/211) Improvement is what matters
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26 Workout - 5-9-2008

Squats: 3 X 5 @ 102.5 kg

Standing Press: 3 X 5 @ true 65 kg New 5RM

Power Cleans: ended up just being practice, so

Pullups: 1 X 10 @ BW


Weight: 79.3 kg
Waist: 80.5 cm
Abdomen: 83 cm


Haven't analyzed the squats yet, but I think I was able to get slightly better control. Being so concious of it now, I can really feel the instability in my hips. They don't seem to know how to work together well to go straight down and up smoothly. Might need to do some lunges or something to help with this.

Presses were hard, but I got them. Although I said I got 65 kg before, that was actually 61.5.

Power cleans---all I can say is I really wish I had access to a coach for this. I will keep trying.

Tuesday's metcon workout had my hams and a$$ muscles so sore, I could not walk normally Wednesday and Thursday. So, with this late night workout on Friday, I will do the 2nd workout for the week on Sunday morning, the 3rd on Tuesday and skip metcon this week so I can get back on track.
 
27 Workout - 5-15-2008

Squats: 2 X 5 @ 103.5 kg, 1 X 5 @ 97.5 kg

Bench Press: 2 X 5, 1 X 3 @ 101 kg

Chinups: 1 X 10, 1 X 7, 1 X 5 @ BW


Weight: 78.7 kg
Waist: 80 cm
Abdomen: 83 cm

I think I got caught flirting with overtraining and the body got upset and left me for a few days!
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Last week I felt like I was sick without the fever, slept 10-12 hours plus a nap during the day.

So, I feel quite a bit recovered, but I was expecting the workout to pretty much go as it did. Actually surprised I got the 2 sets of bench. Haven't done chins in a while and it shows.

No more metcon workouts that involve barbell exercises until I get quite used to them. Only BW-exercise metcons from now on and I will just skip it when necessary.

Also, FF, thanks for the tip on the foam roller. Got one during my week off. OH MY GOD DOES THAT HURT! Especially the erectors; as expected. What a simple yet extrememly effective device.
 
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(nipponbiki @ May 15 2008,11:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">OH MY GOD DOES THAT HURT!    .</div>
np buddy. it does take some getting used to! glad you're feeling better. it's winter down there isn't it? what's your climate like?
 
28 Workout - 5-17-2008

Front Squats: 3 X 5 @ 76.5 kg

Standing Press: 1 X 2 @ 66.5 kg, 1 X 5, 1 X 3 @ 64 kg

Deadlift: 1 X 5 @ 127.5 kg


Weight: 78.7 kg
Waist: 80.5 cm
Abdomen: 82.5 cm


First attempt at front squats. I like 'em! I just started with the bar, going up 5 kg until I felt it was heavy but not too heavy. Wow, what an ab exercise. Seems like more of an ab exercise than a leg exercise. This will be my ab exercise from now on, every Saturday.

Press, oh well, after having a short break, I am ok with it.

Got my deads although at a pretty hefty reduction. Changed the way I approach the bar according to this video:

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_RipDeadliftSetup.mov

It seemed to make the lift a little more efficient. I think I can start progressing in deads again as long as they aren't huge jumps. We will see.
 
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(nipponbiki @ May 17 2008,5:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">First attempt at front squats. I like 'em!</div>
Great!
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(nipponbiki @ May 17 2008,5:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wow, what an ab exercise. Seems like more of an ab exercise than a leg exercise. This will be my ab exercise from now on, every Saturday.</div>
Yes, they do start out feeling like an ab exercise. Then they change into an upper-back and ab exercise until they eventually transform into an upper-back, ab and quad blasting exercise! It's just a matter of time...  
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FF,

No dude, I am in Japan, still north of the equator. It is getting hot and humid already, about a month early this year. Supposed to be the rainy season during May, but so far it seems to have just skipped it and gone straight to early summer!

Every summer I always tell myself, this is my last summer in Japan. They are brutal.
 
29 Workout - 5-22-2008

Squats: 3 X 5 @ 106 kg


Bench Press: 1 X 5 @ 102 kg, 1 X 5, 1 X 4 @ 101.5 kg


Power Cleans: 1 X 10 @ 20 kg, 1 X 5 @ 40 kg, 1 X 1 + several attempts @ 50 kg


Chinups: 1 X 9 @ BW + 5 kg

Weight: 78.7 kg --- Waist: 80 cm --- Abdomen: 82 cm



Squats felt good, I just banged those suckers out without any problems. On bench, I actually miscalculated the weight last week, which I realized after doing my first set today. Actual weight last week was 100 kg, so this is still a decent progression.


I still have no clue what I am doing with power cleans. I tried doing the movement really slow today, which is why I could barely do 50 kg. I just don't understand how you are supposed to drag the bar up your thigh after the bar breaks above the knees and still keep the bar path straight. It seems like the only way to do this is to actually pull the bar into me which obviously messes up the bar path. I also can't figure out how I am supposed to rebend the knee for the jump.

Also, I setup a website/blog where I will continue my log. I mostly created this so I could have somewhere to post videos and I have been wanting to learn html, php, and mysql for some time anyway. I still have no clue what I am doing so any criticism on design or layout or whatever is surely welcome. The URL is www.barbellpurist.com
 
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