Freshman Year Finished Strong

to all beginners. Started a year ago on all Hollow’s eve and have just finished my freshmen year.

Last Halloween I was 173# @ 11% bodyfat on a 73" frame, with the following max weights: Dead 335, Squat 275, and a horrific bench of 135 (competitive cyclist, NO upper body).

This Halloween: 193# @ 11% BF with the following maxes: Dead 415, Squat 355 and a 215 bench.

I thank Simmons, Tate, Wendler and Wenning for the training protocols and my training Partners:
Meb Keflezighi and the Mammoth Track Club for helping me with Dedication and consistancy. In one year
I have only missed 8 training days.

I look forward to refining the lifting aspects and getting even more aggressive with my food intake.
Thanks to all the Beginners who’s logs and blogs have helped as well…killerDIRK

Great progress.

well done. sticking to it for a year is tough stuff. I’m sure you have a lot of good info to share.

have you gained size anywhere? any before/after pics and/or measures?

thanks all. Have I gained size anywhere you ask…yeah my ASS ! but in a good way from all the GHR’s (started at 1 rep, now 3x15), proper(?)Squats and Deadlifts ! Also I am starting to fill out my size large shirts. It will be done and everyday I lift STRONG(ER) !

lol good stuff. yes squats and deads will definitely put meat on your ass, and clothes feeling tighter across the chest, shoulders and lats are all good indicators of mass gain imo.

how have these improvements in your strength and physique translated to competitive cycling, if at all?

Hey frOLVLan, what I have found is a MUCH more explosive sprint in both cycling and running. I think Storm the Beach gave us the great “sprint, kill, eat” phase and I have found as much. Tuesday morn is DE squat with box jumps/GHR’s plus some plyo’s put in, Tuesday eve is ME DEAD with sled pull/push. Friday morn is DE dead’s with GHR’s and Friday eve is ME Squat with eccentricless box jumps (start by sitting and explode up).

Luckily at the young age of 44 I am finding I can still recover VERY well from this type of training.
I sleep like a rock with 8-9 hours average, stay on top of food consumption, and use a Hard softball instead of the foam roller.

I will be working hard once again to put 50-60# across all three lifts. That would put me at 465Dead, 395squat,
275 bench by Holloween 2012. Looking for a 1215 total by age 50 :wink: RAW…to all those out there, stay consistant and lift STRONG(ER) !

damn those are good gains for a guy half your age! more power to you sir!

lol and that is by far the worst anyone has ever mangled my sn

my apologies for “mangling”