# Ryaan's Training Log

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/ryaans-training-log/1501>\
**Category:** Training Logs\
**Created:** [April 8, 2018, 10:17am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/ryaans-training-log/1501 "2018-04-08T10:17:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ryaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Ryaan](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Ryaan)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2018, 10:17am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/ryaans-training-log/1501/1 "2018-04-08T10:17:48Z")

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**Hello!**

I’m migrating over from the Starting Strength forums after a few months of not logging in public. My old log lives here [[link!](https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/starting-strength-training-logs/69624-ryaans-novice-training-log.html)].

29 years old, male, 5’6". Current bodyweight ~184 lb.

I’ve been training since 2016. As a touring musician, my schedule over the last couple of years has resulted in a seesaw of progress and perennial novice LP resets due to layoffs while on tour.

I’m in the UK, and weights are in kgs unless otherwise noted.

PRs:  
Squat: 140x1, 135x4  
Deadlift: 165x1, 150x3, 145x5  
Press: 65x1, 56x5  
Bench: 75x5

I was at my strongest in spring of 2017, when I managed to exhaust my LP and switched briefly to HLM before I let travel and life get in the way. I spent the rest of last year trying not to lose too much progress, culminating in a nearly 3-month long layoff. I started training again in February of this year, basically restarting my LP from scratch.

I’m eating at a small deficit to cut .5-1 lb of weight a week. Highest weight was 198 lb, so I’m currently down 14 lb and probably have about that many to go before I’m at a reasonable waist size.

Current programming is a bastard 4-day SSLP combined with some ideas from BBM programming. I like training 4 days a week for scheduling reasons. There are two GPP days because I would like to be less fat.

**PROGRAM**  
Workout A: Squat 3x5, Bench\*, Press 4x8  
Workout B: Deadlift 3x5, Press\*, Close grip bench 4x8  
GPP A: chins, abs, elliptical  
Workout C: Squat 3x5, Bench 5x5, Row 3x8  
Workout D: Deadlift 3x5, Press\*, High bar squat 3x15\*\*  
GPP B: chins, abs, elliptical

- work up to 1@8, then 5x5 for bench and 6x4 for press @-15% from the top single  
\*\* yes, I know this is a terrible idea, but I’ve got a challenge going with a friend and am too stubborn to back down now.

I’ll run this until it stops working, and then probably switch to The Bridge.

**LAST WEEK**

**2018-03-31 - Workout A**  
**Squat**  
80x5 @6  
95x5 @7.5  
95x5 @8  
95x5 @8

**Bench**  
65x1 @6  
70x1 @7  
75x1 @8(.5?)  
64x5 @7  
64x5 @7  
64x5 @7  
64x5 @8  
64x5 @8

Maybe overshot my RPE on the single. 72.5 might’ve been better.

**Press**  
40x8 @7  
40x8 @9  
37.5x8 @8  
37.5x8 @8

2 min rests

**Curls** / **Triceps cable pushdown**  **superset**  
Curls: 20 x 12, 10, 10  
Pushdowns: 45 x 12, 10, 10

**2018-04-02 - Workout B**  
**Deadlift**  
80x5 @6  
95x5 @7  
105x5 @8  
105x5 @8  
105x5 @8

Keep focusing on setting low back deep into later sets.

**Press**  
40x5  
45x5 @6? warmups feeling sluggish  
50x1 @7  
55x1 @7.5?  
62.5x1 @9.5  
52x4 @8  
52x4 @8.5  
51x4 @8  
51x4 @8.5  
50x4 @8  
50x4 @8

2 min rests. Kept rest periods strict and lowered weight instead of lengthening rests to 3 min for last few sets.

**Close grip bench**  
40x8 @6? elbows felt funny. probably flaring them?  
42.5x8 @7  
42.5x8 @7  
42.5x8 @7  
42.5x8 @7

Rip writes in SS to take the closest grip your wrists can tolerate. I’m starting with the edge of the knurl in the middle of my palm. Feels fine so far.

**Chins** (max reps in 7 mins)  
3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 15

**2018-04-03 - GPP A**  
**Chins** - max in 7 mins  
3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1 = 20 total

**Abs** - front plank - max in 7 mins  
60, 40, 40, 30, 35, 30 = 235 seconds total

**Elliptical** - 25 min @ HR 130-150

**2018-04-04 - Workout C**  
**Squats**  
90x5 @7  
97.5x5 @8  
97.5x5 @8  
97.5x5 @8  
Strict 4 min rests

**Bench**  
60x5 @7  
62.5x5 @8  
62.5x5 @8.5  
60x5 @ 8  
60x5 @ 8.5  
60x5 @ 8 (better bar path, easier reps)

Strict 2 min rests

**Rows**  
50x8 @7  
57.5x8 @8  
57.5x8 @8  
57.5x8 @9

Last rep was sketchy.

**Curls** / **Triceps cable pushdown**  **superset**  
Curls: 20 x 12, 12, 8  
Pushdowns: 50 x 12 x 3

**2018-03-29 - Workout D**  
**Deadlift**  
85x5 @6  
95x5 @7  
107.5x5 @8  
107.5x5 @8  
107.5x5 @8

4 min rests

**Press**  
55x1 @6  
60x1 @7  
65x1 @9.5  
55x4 @8  
55x4 @9  
54x4 @9  
53.5x4 @9  
52.5x4 @9  
50x4 @9

2 min rests. Waaaaay overshot my RPEs, and I knew it but wanted to keep pushing. Oops.

**High Bar Squat**  
50x15  
70x15 @“I either have 3 or 10 reps left in the tank…”  
70x10 @“Oh god my low back!”  
70x8 @“What am I doing with my life?”

3 min rests. Friends, don’t program high reps of a movement you’ve never done before at the end of your training week.

**2018-04-06 - GPP B**  
**Chins** - max in 7 mins  
3,3,3,3,3,1,1,2,2,2 = 23

**Abs** - front plank - max in 7 mins  
7x[40 on : 20 rest] = 280 s total

**Elliptical -** 25 min avg HR 150

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ryaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Ryaan](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Ryaan)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/ryaans-training-log/1501/2 "2018-04-13T15:35:59Z")

</div>

**2018-04-08 - Workout A**  
**Squat**  
90x5 @6.5  
95x5 @7  
100x5 @8  
100x5 @8  
100x5 @8

4 min rests. Hips creaky, so did a bunch of warmup sets with the bar. Work sets fast and aggressive. Lock down elbows during setup.

**Bench**  
60x5 @6  
65x1 @6  
70x1 @7  
75x1 @8  
64x5 @8  
63.5x5 @8  
63.5x5 @8  
63.5x5 @9  
62.5x5 @8

2 min rests.

**Press**  
42.5x8 @7  
42.5x8 @7  
42.5x8 @8  
42.5x7 @10

2 min rests. Failed last rep of last set at forehead. Tired. DOH.

**Cable curls / Triceps cable pushdown**  
a bunch @ getting swole

**2018-04-09 - Workout B**  
**Deadlift**  
60x5  
80x5  
100x5 @6  
105x5 @7  
110x5x3 @8

4 min rests.

**Press**  
40x5  
50x3  
55x1 @6  
57.5x1 @7  
60x1 @9 → maybe realistically 57.5 was an 8?  
50x4x6 @8

2 min rests. Seem to have pulled something in my neck, so I did a ton of empty bar shoulder warmup first, which helped.

**Close grip bench**  
40x8 @6  
45x8x4 @8

2 min rests.

**2018-04-10 - GPP A**  
**Chins** - 7 mins AMRAP  
7x3, 1, 1, 1 = 24

**Abs** - 7 mins EMOM front plank  
45, 45, 45, 35, 45, 30, 45 = 290 seconds total

**Elliptical** - 25 min @ HR 130-150

**2018-04-11 - Workout C**  
**Squats**  
80x5 @6  
92.5x5 @7 —\> Hips rising before bar. CHEST!  
97.5x5 @8 —\> uh oh. same position problem.  
102.5x4 @8.5 —\> same deal.  
102.5x3 @9 —\> Bar rolled up towards my neck, cut the set off  
100x4 @9  
100x4 @8 —\> fixed chest problem, much easier

My classic problem is that I let my chest collapse, drive my hips up faster than the bar, and let my elbows wing out. When it gets especially bad, the bar starts rolling up towards my neck. I can fix this but have to focus on really pulling my elbows down and chest up during the setup, keeping my elbows pinned to my sides during the set, and fixing my gaze further forward than I tend to.

CHEST UP ELBOWS DOWN!

**Bench**  
60x5 @7  
62.5x5 @7  
62.5x5 @8  
62.5x5 @9  
60x5 @8  
60x5 @8.5

2 min rests. Don’t resist the eccentric too much. Lightheaded. Should’ve eaten more and hydrated better. Maybe not enough rest time.

**Rows**  
50x8 @6  
55x8 @7  
60x8 @7  
60x8 @7  
60x8 @8

3 min rests. 2 min rests aren’t really long enough. This isn’t a cardio workout, bro. I’ve been keeping rest times very short to get in 5x5 or 6x4 without ballooning out my workout time, but increasing to 3 minute rests adds a grand total of 4 minutes to my workout time per 5x5, so… yeah. My first run through Starting Strength I did the thing where I let rest times between squat sets climb up to almost 10 minutes, but I may have overcorrected here.

**ArmzZz SUPERSET**  
**triceps cable pushdown -** 52.5 lb x 12 x 4  
**curls** - 20 kg x 12 x 4

**2018-04-12 - Workout D**  
**Deadlift**  
100x5 @6  
105x5 @8  
110x5 @8 —\> misload!  
112.5x5 @8  
112.5x5 @9

4 min rests. Supposed to have done 102.5 and 107.5 on the way up to 112.5 but apparently forgot to look at my workout plan before loading the bar. Oops.

**Press**  
50x4 @6  
53.5x3 @8  
57.5x1 @7  
60x1 @8.5  
50x4x6 @7 (maybe 8 for the last couple of sets)

2 min rests. Maybe I need smaller jumps between RPEs for the press. I keep overshooting my single RPE with a -5% set that feels like @7 followed by a set closer to @9.

**High Bar Squat**  
70x11 @???  
70x5 @???

Workout cut off by a work call that I had to take, so I decide to defer these to my second GPP day.

**2018-04-13 - GPP B**  
**High bar squat**  
70 x 15 @7  
70 x 15 @8  
70 x 15 @???

3 min rests. This ends my brief flirtation with high bar 15s. I just wanted to prove I could actually do them (seems that the trick is taking quite a lot of time between reps to regroup), but given that these are basically a complete waste of training time, I’m going to switch to a more useful squat variant / rep range next week.

**Chins** - 7 mins AMRAP  
7x3, 2, 1 = 24

**Abs** - 7 mins EMOM plank  
45 seconds on, 20 second rest x 6, 30 seconds on at the end = 300 s total

**Elliptical** - 25 min @ HR 130-150

**Diet / weight**  
Weight loss continuing to tick along at about -.7 lb/week. Weighed in at 181.6 lb this morning. Macros roughly 185 P / 220 C / 55 F.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ryaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Ryaan](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Ryaan)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/ryaans-training-log/1501/3 "2018-04-21T13:32:29Z")

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This week was a little wonky: I flipped the order of my A/B, C/D workouts and ended up splitting my D workout into three bits, for scheduling reasons.

**2018-04-15 - Workout B**  
**Deadlift**  
105x5 @6, 110x5 @7, 115x5x3 @8

4 min rests

**Press**  
57.5x1 @6, 60x1 @7, 62.5x1 @8  
53.5x4x6 @8

3 min rests

**Close grip bench**  
47.5x8x4 @7

**2018-04-16 - Workout A**  
**Squats**  
92.5x5 @7, 97.5x5 @7.5, 102.5x5 @8, 102.5x5 @8.5, 102.5x5 @9

4 min rests. Better than last squat session, but still work to do bracing the upper body.

**Bench**  
65x1 @6, 70x1 @7, 75x1 @9  
65x5 @8, 65x5 @8.5, 65x5 @8.5, 64x5 @8, 64x5 @8

I’m pretty sure 77.5x1 @8 was there, but I didn’t rest enough before my last single.

**Press**  
45x5 on a fat fixed bar, waiting for a rack  
45x5 @8 on a normal bar!  
40x8x3 @8

2 min rests. I wanted 45x8x3, but it wasn’t there by this point in the workout.

**Arms**  
Some sets @ totally fried

**2018-04-17 - GPP A**  
**Chins** - 8x3, 1, 1 = 26  
**Plank** - 60 on 30 rest x 5 = 300 s total  
**Elliptical** - 25 min @ avg HR ~140

**2018-04-18 - Workout D (sorta…)**  
**Deadlift**  
100x5 @8 with double overhand  
105x5 @8 with mixed grip  
105x5 @8 mixed grip

Target was 115x5x3, but I was feeling terrrrrrrible, so I cut my workout off short.

**2018-04-19 - Workout D (continued!)**  
**Press**  
60x1 @7, 65x1 @8  
55x4 @7, 55x4 @8, 55x4 @10, 52.5x4 @7, 52.5x4 @8, 52.5x4 @9

2 min rests

**2018-04-20 - Workout C**  
**Squat**  
95x5 @7?, 100x5 @8, 105x5 @9, 100x5 @9, 95x5 @8.5

4 min rests. MUCH better than last session. Top set had 3 good reps and 2 wonky, but it’s an improvement from all wonky. Really focused on keeping the bar sitting on the shelf on my back and keeping my upper spine from rounding. This video helped: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ANPW3NbMCI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ANPW3NbMCI)

**Bench**  
60x5 @7, 62.5x5x5 @8

3 min rests. Trying to get the bulldog grip together. I need a lot of practice.

**Rows**  
62.5x8x3 @8

I find it hard to gauge the RPE on these. Kinda dropped the last rep on my knees somehow on the way down.

**ArmzZz**  
**Triceps cable push down** - 19 kg x 12 x 4 → dropped the weight a bit and tried to do these much more strictly  
**Curls** - 20 kg x 10 x 4

**2018-04-21 - GPP B**  
**3-0-3 tempo squats**  
20x8 @easy - concentrate!  
40x8 @easy  
50x? @lost count  
60x8 @low back!

Meant to do these as part of my workout D, but didn’t because of the chaos of the week. First time doing this movement. I used a metronome at 60 bpm to keep the pace strict. I’m very bad at gauging the RPE on these higher rep sets, and I think I probably could’ve gone at least 10-20 kg heavier for a few more sets, but wanted to start conservatively.

**Chins** - 7 min AMRAP - 9x3 = 27

**Plank** - 65 s on : 30 off x 4 + 30 s + 20 s = 310 s total  
Was trying for 65 on : 30 off x 5, but took a knee in the middle of my last plank.

**Elliptical** - 25 min @ avg HR ~140

**Diet / weight**  
Not very on point with the diet this week. Weighted in at 184.4 lb this morning, although sort of an outlier—moving average weight shows that I’m basically where I was this time last week, on average.

I’m going to be traveling most of next week, from Tuesday through to Sunday, and while I have a gym scoped out for my time away, I’m not sure how many sessions I’ll be able to get in. Diet will probably get a bit screwy, too.