With the year coming to an end I thought it would be good to discuss training accomplishments, and hopefully give some motivation moving into the new year!
My training has been a bit up and down all year (changed programs a couple of times, lack of consistency etc), but I can say that this year I hit PRs on all of my lifts and I’m definitely stronger now than I was this time last year. My weight has also come down - In January I weighed 17st2, weighed myself this morning and I was 15st8. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.
I have also recently made more of an effort to track my nutrition, as well as switching to working out in the morning - I find this gives me no reason to miss a session and I feel better getting them done at the start of the day.
First meet down in May, went 8/9 because i cursed on the platform so they DQ’q my last deadlift. 1160 total, gold metal in division with 4 others. Fun meet, gonna do another but not for a while, wanna hit a qualifying total before I bother with another. Squatted 405 for 3 reps in training the other week so 405 is no longer just a 1rm (only hit it once before my meet). Also benching over 2pl8s for reps in training week over week which is fun as hell. Looking forward to going into 2020 with BBM training.
Started training with a barbell in August 2018 and started BBM with The Bridge in January of this year. My goal was to deadlift 400# by the summer and I pulled 405# in July. End of year goal was to hit 250# bench and 1,000# total when I test next week. In Week 12 of Strength I this past week I hit a 250# bench @9, and the total of my singles @9 on the big 3 were 995#. I’m very excited about what I’ve been able to do with BBM programming this year and looking forward to more gainzZz in 2020
Like this idea! Training highlights in 2019 for myself.
405 squat (PR match but at an RPE 8)
235 Bench (huge PR for me with a history of chronically ‘Low B’)
500 Deadlift at RPE 9 (a goal I had set for myself 4 years ago).
I’ve been cycling the legacy GPP/hypertrophy 4-day and 12wk strength this year. I tested my 1 RM in May and November.
Jan - May November
S - 385 - 405 - 430lbs
B - 225 - 235 - 255lbs
D - 485 - 545 - 565lbs
I am 5 weeks into Hypertrophy II and loving it. I will be running that twice through, then I will run Strength III, then maybe powerbuilding after, but we will see…I’m super excited for 2020. I usually avoid picking goal numbers, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to hit a 585 deadlift this year. Also looking to hit some weight loss PRs as well.
My fourth attempt at starting barbell training over the last two years feels like it’s going to stick! Convenience was the biggest obstacle to compliance, so I built a small garage gym - makes the world of difference. On week 4 of the Beginner Template and am going to finish it through in 2020.
On nutrition, I re-lost the 20 pounds I lost last year (and regained this year). Down to 205, on my way to 170-180 but more focused on waist which is down to 40" from 42". Getting better at tracking macros and measuring my food, not just eyeballing it. Definite goal for 2020 is to regularly hit my protein goal of 200g (really hard for me without TONS of chicken or 5 shakes a day).
I am lifting 3 days a week and rowing 2 days. My motivation is high and I am feeling great. I have way less non-specific low back pain since I’ve been training.
2020 is going to be even better.
BIG thanks to the BBM crew and the community on these forums!
On the protein point, I thought I would struggle hitting my goal of 250g per day, but I’ve found that a double scoop shake in the morning (50-60g protein), a chicken breast with lunch (50-60g protein), another double scoop shake later in the day, then a meal at night with c.50g protein from meat gets me more or less there when taking into account trace protein from other food sources - maybe try something like that
