NBS Journal

Ok, time to come clean.  I've been on a 3 month hiatus from the gym.  After I had a week of deconditioning in early March, I soon injured my rotator cuff when I came back to the gym.  After the orthopaedic told me there was no serious injury, I decided the best thing for myself to do would just be to take some time off.

Well those few weeks led to a few more weeks, eventually putting me here.  I haven't even set foot in a gym for 2 months I think.  No more excuses.  I'm going right back at it, and praying my shoulder is fine.

I've lost approximately 5 lbs since I've been out.  I look noticeably smaller than I was, and I have gained a tiny amount of fat.  I will take my official weigh-in tomorrow morning.

Routine: Starting Strength

Squat
1X5X95
1X5X135
1X5X165
1X5X155
Trying to find the right weight to start with

Bench
1X5Xbar
1X5X95
3X5X135
I am now benching very slow reps.  RC felt alright, although there was some small feeling there, it wasn't pain tho...

Deadlift
1X5X135
1X5X165
1X5X185

This was the first time I squatted and deadlifted with my head looking down and outward.  I really did seem to notice more involvement in my hams, especially on the deadlift.  It may just be in my head tho.  I like it because it feels alot more natural of a positioning.

I expect these numbers to go up consistently every week.

good that you're listening to your body.  better safe than sorry.

take it slow dude... just remember, you're not there to impress anyone.  take it VVVVVVVVERY slowly on benchpress and shoulder OH press especially.  i wouldn't even go up 2.5 lbs each day.  i'd stay with one weight for 2 or 3 days, and then work my way up.. but that's just me.

no need to get hurt again b/c you rushed up there too quick.  i have a feeling that you will gain that 5 pounds back fairly quickly (a few weeks).   you're muscles aren't stupid, they will remember and bounce back pretty quickly.

goodluck

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

Thanks man

Yeah, I'll see how it goes with the presses.  I dropped a pretty good bit of weight with all the lifts, just so my body can get adjusted to adding the weight each time.  I expect to go for at least a month before hitting failure on anything, but we'll see how it goes.

I guess i didn't realize how much I actually changed.  Here's a pic of me at the end of the DB contest...

Attached Image(s)

EDIT: Guess I'll wait and show befores when I have some good afters 

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youll get back quickly dont worry
 
whats your routine your following, the one at the end of starting strength?
whats stating height and weight for this go around compared to after db contest?
 
what are your currentl goals?

bulking/strength training

soon to begin bill starr's 5X5

current maxes: 
squats: 255
deadlifts: 300
bench: 185
oh press: 125
goals for jan 1:
squats: 300
deadlifts: 350
bench: 210
oh pressL 145 

Sorry, I guess I missed some of the important details in my first post.
 
OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN: 184.2 lbs
 
I think I'm around 11% bf but it's so hard to be very accurate with calipers.
 
I actually don't own Starting Strength because I can't find it in any bookstores nearby and haven't gotten around to ordering it online.  I'm following the detailed writeup at http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=750551 ... I plan on doing squat, military press, power cleans and pullups for day 2, although I still have to perfect the form on the clean.
 
I am 6'3" but that won't change because I'm almost 21 and don't plan on getting any taller.  My weight at the end of the contest was about 189.
 
Even tho I appear like I put on some fat since the contest, I don't think it was as much as it seems because the muscle loss itself made me look saggier.  Plus I'm very much an ecto, so I don't think I will gain too much bf during the bulk.  The only reason I have any fat is because I spent my first 2 years at college drinking very consistently and eating awful at EVERY meal.  I had no repect for nutrition.  Plus my metabolism took a nose dive when I turned 18.
 
My only real goal is to bulk.  I don't set certain weight goals because all that does it let me down if I don't meet it or make me feel like it was too simple if I exceed the weight.  Pictures are how I measure progress.

ATG Squats
1X5X95
1X5X115
3X5X135
Going back to full ROM.  This weight was very easy and a good place to start I guess.

Military Press
1X5Xbar
1X5X65
3X5X85
My RC did alright, although again my left shoulder was more noticably sore than my right.

Pendlay Rows
Warmups with bar and 65 (not sure on reps).
3X5X85
I have never done Pendlay rows, so it felt a little wierd.  That's why I used the low weight.  No strain involved really.

Pullups
1X5XBW
1X4XBW
Are you kidding me?  I can't even do 2X5 pullups anymore?  I am a failure.


Although the weight was so low on the first 3 exercises that I didn't struggle at all, the fact that I couldn't finish the second set of pullups was pretty bad.  That right there tells me I've lost a significant amount of strength. 

Missed Tuesday's workout, but with good reason...

ATG Squat
1X5X95
1X5X115
1X3X140
3X5X155
My back was straight, but didn't feel right coming out of the bottom position.

Bench
1X5Xbar
1X5X95
1X5X145
2X5X140
I prob coulda done 3X5X145, but I figured better safe than sorry, so I lowered it.  I need to be taking my presses slow anyway.

Deadlift
1X5X135
1X5X175
3X5X205
Yeah boyeee

I upped 20 lbs on both squat and DL.  It was def alot easier to do for DL tho...

So far so good

5 minute cardio warmup

ATG Squat
1X5X95
1X5X135
1X3X150
3X5X165
Used valsalva maneuver this time. 

Military Press
1X5Xbar
1X5X75
3X5X90
Left shoulder felt fine.

Hang Clean
1X5Xbar
5X3X95
I know it's supposed to be a power clean, but I wanted to work on form before doing the full thing.

Pullups
2X4XBW
Had to drop off for about 10 seconds after the 3rd rep/2nd set before doing the final rep.


I'm not sure how good my clean form is, but I know I got a HUGE pump in my traps, and no bicep pump from it, so that's a good sign I guess.  I think I was so spent from all of those that it affected my pullups.

The quest continues...

Just wanted to note that my weight is already up to 191.2 lb.  Kinda crazy to gain 7 lbs in a week and a half, but a few factors play into that.  I wasn't drinking enough water before, so now that I'm back to a gallon/day, I've put on some water weight.  I upped my cals a little too quickly, and I can tell my waist line has expanded a bit.  But most importantly, the muscle memory is beginning to run its course.  I can feel my pecs again and it feels great! haha ... Anywho, I hope I don't get too fat before the summer ends   Just for easy reference:
 
 
Weight as of 6/10: 191.2 lb

Parallel Squat
1X5X95
1X5X135
3X5X175
Going back to parallel, cause ATG was ****ing with my knee (I'm sure it was from my form).

Flat Bench
1X5Xbar
1X5X95
1X3X135
3X5X145
Was def easier than last workout.  Noticable tension in left shoulder - not during, but after finishing bench.

Deadlift
1X5X135
1X5X185
1X5X225
Hold up!  Shouldn't have jumped another 20 lbs.  Back started rounding.  Bad form.  Shame on me.

Dips
2X5XBW
First workout w/ dips.  Coulda done more, especially if I let my heart rate come down a bit more.  But might as well start low.


I regret jumping those 20 lbs in deadlift.  I'm not sure what I'll do next time: same weight, or back off 10 lbs.  Any suggestions anyone?  Is anybody reading this????? haha.  Help me out if you can.