I currently weigh 172 pounds and will compete in 165 raw. I have been training since 5/30/08, I did Starting Strength for my first 3 months. In early September I tested my 1 rep maxes for the first time (on different days) and the squat was 350, bench 205, deadlift 405.

I did a modified Westside approach, then Wendler's 5/3/1, then I did a lot of 90%+ singles. As of my most recent tests, I have a 375 squat, a 225 bench, and a 455 deadlift.

I am extremely unhappy with my progress lately and I think I have been doing far too little volume on the main lifts. I saw something on Powerlifting Watch where 1298 is an elite total for a 165 raw lifter. That is my goal by the time school starts in the fall, early September. I am not sure when I will first compete. I want at least a year of lifting experience, and probably more. I feel as though I have so damn much to learn before it makes sense to compete.

I think there is a guy that might be willing to be my bench coach from my hometown. He has hit 315 in the 132 pound weight class, so maybe with my program change and his help I can really get the bench numbers moving fast.

Weaknesses:

Squat: slow out of the hole
Bench: weak off the chest
Deadlift: weak at lockout

But the truth is I think my real weakness is inexperience and a lack of strength . . . which can only be developed over time. I feel I am too much of a newbie to be putting a lot of emphasis on weaknesses, just trying to get a lot stronger first.

I will be doing a 5x5 program for the next 4 weeks, 1 week deload, 4 week intensification. It will not have any deadlifting in it because everything seems to bring my deadlift up and I don't deadlift for reps, I only do singles. So I figure Good Mornings will fit into the 5x5 better as I do them relatively heavy, 2x8x275 last time.

Any suggestions just shout them out. I am very new to the game and have plenty of humility. I can't promise I will follow all advice but I will certainly consider everything.

Alright, let the battle begin.

5x5 Week 1, First Workout

Squat
5x5x290

Felt myself leaning forward a little on the later reps and I was really slow coming out of the hole on reps 4 and 5, stalling about half way up.

Bench (5RM)
1x5x145
1x5x155
1x5x167.5
1x5x180
1x5x190

That last rep of 190 was a real bitch but it went up.

Barbell Rows (5RM)
1x5x117.5
1x5x127.5
1x5x137.5
1x5x146.25
1x5x156.25

The form got a little sloppy on the last set, especially the last couple of reps. I really need to get a lot stronger on this exercise.

Gorilla-ups
1x12
1x8
1x7

Face Pulls
2x15x120

Exercise bike
10:00 steady state, level 7

I also did some soft tissue work before the workout and some mobility work. Paid attention to the legs: quads, hip adductors, hip flexors, hip external rotators, calves, tibialis anterior. Tennis ball and foam roller.

Also worked on loosening up my neck and ankles. I'll do some more mobility and soft tissue work tonight, thoracic spine, calves, etc. GPP tomorrow.

One additional biographical note. I initially came to this site in order to learn how to rehab my shitty lower back. I had been to 3 physical therapists and none of them could give me the necessary exercises to break the chain of chronic pain.

Well I started reading articles by Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Dan John, and Mike Robertson and a few months later I was ready for serious weight training for perhaps the first time in my life.

The amazing thing was, the more weight I put on the bar, the better my back got. I really improved my hip mobility and my core stability (thanks to the great articles). I used to be hyperlordotic and now my posture has improved dramatically and my back symptoms have all but disappeared (sitting still can give me some issues).

I was reading the forums and many people had mentioned Starting Strength. I purchased the book, made it my religion until I stopped making progress and found that I was progressing fairly quickly.

At first I wanted to get really strong for golf (hoping to eventually hit the ball well over 300 yards), I had wanted to compete at the US Amateur but I never really seemed to get much out of all the hard, hard work I was putting into golf.

I get a much better return on investment with lifting and I love it more than golf. I quit golf cold turkey and now I really am seeking to learn the sport of powerlifting.

I'm in Madison, how about you?

I got some more soft tissue work in, mostly legs, I'm trying to hit this shit hard while I have a lot of time over Christmas break. I took an epsom salt bath, hard to take yourself seriously after getting out of a bath, or in a bath, or while in a bath, you get the point.

It was humiliating but it may speed up recovery. I also did some body weight squats 3x25, and some push-ups 4x8 to get the blood flowing, speed up recovery. Off to bed.

Thanks Modi, appreciate the well wishes and advice. I think if I get my programming right the next 150 pounds on my total might come relatively quickly. After that I do expect it to slow . . . unless I'm ready for Smolov, haha.

I think I will hold in the 165's because my weight hasn't fluctuated for 5 months and I do not allow myself to rely on extra food for recovery. Once I accomplish something in the 165's I may move up though.

5x5 Week 1, 2nd Workout

The hamstrings and buttocks were quite sore yet from 5x5 back squats on Sunday, so I knew it would be an interesting session. I was sore as hell last night so I did 6 sets of 25 body weight squats before bed and that seemed to loosen the legs up a fair amount. They were pretty sore for the session today though.

Front Squat (recovery)
5x5@190

Cambered bar Good Mornings

2x5@272.5

Incline Press (bench recovery)

4x5@126.25
1x4@126.25

Pissed I missed a rep, yes I need a lot of work on pressing strength!

DB Reverse Flyes

3x10x20's

Chins

5x5@180 pounds (175 pounds + 5 pounds)

Last rep of last set relatively difficult

Double leg lowering

2x17 (each set was 2 minutes of almost continual tension)

Exercise bike (level 8)
12:00 steady state (4.11 miles)


Comments on front squats:
These were relatively difficult. Thanks to elano I was able to get the clean grip for the first time . . . so power cleans will be in my next cycle, I'm quite excited about that. My best for fronts squats was in mid August (the last time I did them) at 3x5@215). I think these will come back relatively quickly and help improve my back squat which I have a tendency for my upper body to tip over too much when trying to explode out of the hole.

Comments on cambered bar good mornings:

Bar has a slight camber, about 3 inches. I set the safety bars at the #13 level and lowered the bar to the safety bars, then came up. I feel a lot safer doing them this way.

Comments of a general nature:

My last session of the week will be pushed back until Friday. I think I need the extra day off. Plan on kicking ass on Friday and setting myself up for a great session Monday.

The dual factor system is very new to me. I am used to being very close to fully recovered for each session. I am enjoying the challenge, but I'm wondering how I could make it through a loading phase while carrying 17 credits.

Any tips on speeding up the recovery process are more than welcome.

5x5 Week 1, 3rd workout

Squat
work up to a 5RM
1x5x235
1x5x255
1x5x275
1x5x290
1x4x310

Legs felt fantastic, but squats felt HEAVY

Bench
5x5x180

DB Reverse Flyes
5x10x15

BB Row
5x5x145

4th set sloppy, 5th set better

Gorilla-ups
1x11
1x8

Reverse Curls
1x8x75
2x7x75

DB Flyes
1x13x25's
2x8x30's

Exercise Bike
level 5, 12:00, 4.40 miles

It was very bizarre to me that I had trouble on squats but no trouble on bench. I felt quite sore last night in my anterior deltoids and triceps and figured I would really have to work my ass off not to miss any reps today. And the legs felt fantastic . . . shows what I know.

5x5 Week 2, 1st Workout

Squat
5x5x300

Bench (recovery)
3x5x145

BB Row (5RM)
1x5x122.25
1x5x131.25
1x5x141.25
1x5x150
1x5x160

Renegade Rows
2x8x50's

Face Pulls
1x15x125
1x13x125

Gorilla-ups
1x7

Good session. Have felt like shit the last couple of days but gutted it out and got it done. 5x5 squats were easier today than a week ago, very good sign, I think I'm adapting.

I received the first level of the Perfect Meditation program in the mail today . . . http://perfectmeditation.com . I'm extremely excited to get started with it and hope to experience some profound changes in my ability to handle stress (specifically academic), but if it improves my lifting, I'll take that also.

I also found out there is a lifter at my new gym that is ranked near the top in the 148 class. I hope I can gain some insight from him over the next several years.