Strength Squad

[bigm141414]

Glutes? Squats deadlifts, romanian deadlifts will all help. Got a swiss ball? plant your feet on the ground, lay your shoulders on the ball, keep your torso parallel with the floor and hold for as long as you can. This will create major butt burn, in a good way.

Everything here, plus I'll add kettlebell or dumbbell swings.

[scotticus]

Does team powerthirst have room for one more? If so, count me in!

This is basically my situation:

- working out at home, as a gym isn't a possibility for numerous reasons ($$$, time, family, geography, etc.)

- I have, for the time being, a limited amount of weight to work with (190lbs total)

- I've had good quality weight lifting instruction in the past

These are my strength goals, independent of the general challenge:

- get to 3x5 chins @ bodyweight

- improve my bench by at least 10% (currently at 130lbs)

- keep working on the decline pushups (current foot elevation 30")

- max out my working deadlift sets @ 5-6 x 190lbs

- get my overhead press to 100lbs+

- get my front squat up to a semi-respectable weight (100lbs+)

These are all goals that things that should happen if I'm consistent with my current RPT-based plan.

Also, the idea behind working with what I've got is that I've had a tendency in the past to over-invest in activities before being truly committed to them. This time around, I figure if I'm still going strong by the new year, I will spring for some additional plates and some kind of squat rack for the basement, so that I can work on pushing my back squat a bit (presently close to bodyweight, but my opportunities to practice are few and far between).

[jdanger]

General question: How does SL compare to Wendler?

I like SL type approaches for as long as possible. People do well with the volume - and frequency - in the beginning. To me 531 is an ideal "next step" program to consider after a lifter has seen months of steady linear gains on a SL type program. 531 is designed more as an intermediate to advanced program and serves that niche well but that doesn't mean it's best for everyone. That said, if you are doing a lot of other stuff (CF for instance) in addition to your strength work it is a viable lower volume approach to get stronger while doing whatever else it is you may be doing. The concession being you won't get as strong as fast as if you were focusing more on strength with a higher volume program like SL.

Long story short, my general advice is to ride out linear progress as long as possible then worry about getting fancy.

[Hermione Gainser]

Long story short, my general advice is to ride out linear progress as long as possible then worry about getting fancy.

I love all the 'keep it simple' going on around here.

And heck yeah, Scott! Welcome to the best squad ever :-)

[Junglizer]

I'm going to post in here because this squad rocks, though I don't have too much strengthy goals this time. Just some upper body stuff. Ideally I should be a bit more well rounded, but doing something is far better than nothing. We shall see how it goes.

[macnip78]

Speaking of glutes.. I did a good 80 jump squats last night and mine are feeling it today Not bad.

Mac, I have similar goals. Are you one of the paleo masses?

Yes and no. I like a lot of the principals behind paleo/primal but I don't adhere to it 100%. I would say I eat 80% paleo just because it is good for you. I still need the carbs during the day though for how intense my workouts/activity are.

[macnip78]

Got all my numbers up today in my 2 big lifts. Bench sets were completed with 195 lbs, and Front Squats were complete with 135 lbs.

[andygates]

I like SL type approaches for as long as possible. People do well with the volume - and frequency - in the beginning. To me 531 is an ideal "next step" program to consider after a lifter has seen months of steady linear gains on a SL type program. 531 is designed more as an intermediate to advanced program and serves that niche well but that doesn't mean it's best for everyone.

That's been exactly my experience over summer and autumn. SL5x5 started out with a rocket up its ass, started to miss some lifts and slow, the volume got gigantic, and by three or four months was pretty much done. I got to my strongest ever, and fast. You'd be daft not to ride that sort of linear improvement train as long as it works for you. SL (and SS) start out very light so there's ample time to get in the groove; 5/3/1 et al are slow because they have to be, not because they want to be.

[Mama T]

added 10lbs to my deadlift today, officially more than body weight... my energy legs go RAWR!

[dustinwh]

added 10lbs to my deadlift today, officially more than body weight... my energy legs go RAWR!

respect

(stupid character minimum)

[Robzilla1983]

Does team powerthirst have room for one more? If so, count me in!

This is basically my situation:

- working out at home, as a gym isn't a possibility for numerous reasons ($$$, time, family, geography, etc.)

- I have, for the time being, a limited amount of weight to work with (190lbs total)

- I've had good quality weight lifting instruction in the past

These are my strength goals, independent of the general challenge:

- get to 3x5 chins @ bodyweight

- improve my bench by at least 10% (currently at 130lbs)

- keep working on the decline pushups (current foot elevation 30")

- max out my working deadlift sets @ 5-6 x 190lbs

- get my overhead press to 100lbs+

- get my front squat up to a semi-respectable weight (100lbs+)

These are all goals that things that should happen if I'm consistent with my current RPT-based plan.

Also, the idea behind working with what I've got is that I've had a tendency in the past to over-invest in activities before being truly committed to them. This time around, I figure if I'm still going strong by the new year, I will spring for some additional plates and some kind of squat rack for the basement, so that I can work on pushing my back squat a bit (presently close to bodyweight, but my opportunities to practice are few and far between).

Love it. I'm pretty close to a lot of that actually. Working from home. I have 100 pounds in dumbbells but definitely need more. I tried deadlifts last night and already maxed out the weights. The overhead press goal is right where I want mine as well. For some reason I always struggle on this one. I did strong lifts before, but could never progress on the press for some reason.

@Matilda That. Is. Amazing. deadlifts and squats were the only thing I ever progressed up to my body weight. I still remember the first squat at that weight actually. It is an awesome feeling. There's something pretty cool about knowing that you could pick up your own weight

[bigm141414]

added 10lbs to my deadlift today, officially more than body weight... my energy legs go RAWR!

Sweet! I hope to do the same thing today too!

[Mama T]

Sweet! I hope to do the same thing today too!

\\ you are stronger than you think you are //

get 'er done, bigm! and then come brag about it here!

[bigm141414]

\\ you are stronger than you think you are //

get 'er done, bigm! and then come brag about it here!

Accomplished. 215lbs Dead Lift with a body weight of 212lbs. Also learned that my home scale is 5lbs lower than a medical grade one. Whatevs....

[Mama T]

Accomplished. 215lbs Dead Lift with a body weight of 212lbs. Also learned that my home scale is 5lbs lower than a medical grade one. Whatevs....

i THOUGHT i heard energy legs RAWRing somewhere out there!! nicely done bigm. doesn't it feel good to be a gangsta?

[Robzilla1983]

i THOUGHT i heard energy legs RAWRing somewhere out there!! nicely done bigm. doesn't it feel good to be a gangsta?

More like damn it feels good to be a Lannister. Amiright?

EDIT: Nerd fail. Didn't post the right link. Should work now

[whitewarrior]

Hear me roar, brother. Hear me roar.

[scotticus]

Love it. I'm pretty close to a lot of that actually. Working from home. I have 100 pounds in dumbbells but definitely need more. I tried deadlifts last night and already maxed out the weights. The overhead press goal is right where I want mine as well. For some reason I always struggle on this one. I did strong lifts before, but could never progress on the press for some reason.

Cool. Keep me posted on how things go. It's frustrating on one hand, but good for the creativity on another Maybe sometime down the road we could start an arch-nemesis kind of rivalry or something... Or start a squad within the squad (called the "*home* boys")

[Benching Zombies]

Hey squad, If anyone wants some further motivation and such

my facebook is http://www.facebook.com/nathan.lannan =]

[Hermione Gainser]

Cool. Keep me posted on how things go. It's frustrating on one hand, but good for the creativity on another Maybe sometime down the road we could start an arch-nemesis kind of rivalry or something... Or start a squad within the squad (called the "*home* boys")

hehehehehhehehehe home boys. Nicely done, Scott.

Awesome job on the lifts, Bigm!

I can't wait to get to the gym tonight--Thrusters!! Did 2 mwods last night. Sat in the bottom of a squat and some shoulder/external rotators work. I'm hoping that will help my thruster form tonight.

[Mama T]

hehehehehhehehehe home boys. Nicely done, Scott.

Nicely done, indeed. You’re punny

I can't wait to get to the gym tonight--Thrusters!! Did 2 mwods last night. Sat in the bottom of a squat and some shoulder/external rotators work. I'm hoping that will help my thruster form tonight.

Ahh thrusters! Seriously, if I had to pick b/w these and deadlifts for a favorite, don’t know if I could do it. Have fun, madame. Also, I’m very happy you put your badass face avatar back up. It just screams, “Nuttin it!â€

[Hermione Gainser]

Ahh thrusters! Seriously, if I had to pick b/w these and deadlifts for a favorite, don’t know if I could do it. Have fun, madame. Also, I’m very happy you put your badass face avatar back up. It just screams, “Nuttin it!”

They're so fun! I'm with you....hard to tell. I'm still working on getting the form right but I love every second of it!

Ha! Thanks! That's exactly what I was going for.

[whitewarrior]

Okay, tonight is me getting back into the swing of things. Working out later. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Goal for the day: Set up my challenge thread. Also, ditto Benching Zombies. Hit me up: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=23443671

[concretecavewoman]

I like SL type approaches for as long as possible. People do well with the volume - and frequency - in the beginning. To me 531 is an ideal "next step" program to consider after a lifter has seen months of steady linear gains on a SL type program. 531 is designed more as an intermediate to advanced program and serves that niche well but that doesn't mean it's best for everyone. That said, if you are doing a lot of other stuff (CF for instance) in addition to your strength work it is a viable lower volume approach to get stronger while doing whatever else it is you may be doing. The concession being you won't get as strong as fast as if you were focusing more on strength with a higher volume program like SL.

Long story short, my general advice is to ride out linear progress as long as possible then worry about getting fancy.

Cool, thanks for the input. I've been thinking of switching over to SL in part because the 3x/week schedule works a bit better with my schedule in general. And while with Wendler I've seen progress on my deadlift, I haven't seen too much with my squat and press.

[Robzilla1983]

Cool. Keep me posted on how things go. It's frustrating on one hand, but good for the creativity on another Maybe sometime down the road we could start an arch-nemesis kind of rivalry or something... Or start a squad within the squad (called the "*home* boys")

haha. I might be too white and nerdy to ever be considered a home boy

I'm up for whatever. Trying to establish a base line this week, but could be up for a challenge or something once I know where I'm at. Base line will officially be established after Friday's workout