So, after lurking for some time I decided to take the plunge and start a training log. My hope is that I can use this as an accountability tool to keep myself pressing forward. Should anybody read this and want to give suggestions along the way, I’m certainly not above learning from someone more knowledgeable.
Training history: I have roughly 5ish years of dedicated lifting over the last decade. To say I was inconsistent would be an understatement. The bulk of the time I actually trained was spent training like a complete tool using the bodybuilding mags as guide. I managed to make a little progress despite that. I got bit hard by the iron bug after a 1.5 year lay-off a couple months back, and didn’t know where to begin again. So, I read Starting Strength…man, was that an eye-opener. After doing a bit of digging here and elsewhere I decided to start with a beginner Bill Starr 5x5 since I’m essentially starting all over.
Goals: I’m not really all that concerned with hypertrophy or looking like a bodybuilder any more. So long as my wife can tolerate the way I look that’s good enough for me :). My goal is to work back to my best numbers, and then smash the hell out of them.
My best lifts (done at a bodyweight of about 220):
Squat: 405x8 (wraps and a belt, depth was probably crap)
DL: 425x1 (I rarely if ever DLed, so this is a guess at best)
Bench: 315x3 (raw, off one board)
Planning: My current plan is to milk the linear gains of the 5x5 plan as long as I can, and then re-evaluate my weak points once I’ve stalled. I’m truly a beginner when it comes to proper training routine planning and application, so I’ll probably have to ask for help eventually. I do want to add in some GPP (I’m dying to do tire flips for whatever reason), strength endurance, and plyo/speed work just for variety down the road.
Diet/Supplements: I eat every 2.5-3 hours and make sure I get a good protein source at each meal. I try to get at least 1gm protein per lb of bodyweight each day, but I don’t always make it. If I want Oreos I eat effing Oreos…I hate calorie counting, and I love to eat. I take in a post-workout protein/carb powder, and a low carb whey protein at bed time. Other than that it’s a cup of coffee before I train and my Leydig cells doing the rest.
WALL OF TEXT…if anybody actually read this you’re a trooper