Before/After: Workout #1 of Starting Strength to Workout #29

[Michael Loucas]

Age: 25
Height: 5'11
Background: BBing when I was young and stupid, then crossfit about a year and a half (my own programming with a little strength bias) and now SS.

Did some comparisons because I video all my workouts.

Picture one is of my work set of 265 on 10/4/2010, my first starting strength workout. (Stupid me started at my real 5 rep max of 265)

Picture two is of my work set of 315 on 12/12/2010, my 29th starting strength workout. My butt calves quads and hamstrings grew a ton.

Went from bodyweight 198-200 to a bodyweight of 204-206. Didn't gain too much weight, but put on a ton of lean body mass in my lower body.

Also in the beginning I squatted shoeless and beltless. Later I purchased both a belt and weight lifting shoes, which helped immensly.

Anyone who is wants to gain a lot of strength relatively quickly and safely, should definitely give SS a try.

[Michael Loucas]

Err, it won't let me edit. First picture is 245.

[Matt Haxmeier]

Nice. That's good progress in a short amount of time. You can tell a big difference in the size of your hamstrings.

[Ian Nigh]

you also seem to have gone from high bar to low bar...

[Scott A Martin]

Originally Posted by Ian Nigh

you also seem to have gone from high bar to low bar...

That looks like a flexibility issue. Look how far his wrists are bent back in the first pic. If he tried to get the bar any lower, his wrists wouldn't allow it.

To the OP, great work!

[Tamara Cohen]

Originally Posted by Ian Nigh

you also seem to have gone from high bar to low bar...

Originally Posted by Scott A Martin

That looks like a flexibility issue. Look how far his wrists are bent back in the first pic. If he tried to get the bar any lower, his wrists wouldn't allow it.

It's also because he took the time to ask for critique/advice and made the necessary changes to get better .

Nice work, Michael.

[Brian Bedell]

Good stuff. I revert back to SS'ish all the time.

There is a testimonial section, just saying...

[Eric Montgomery]

Pretty solid looking bottom position on that 315 rep.

I'm guessing you had to throw out all your old jeans and dress pants in favor of sweatpants and Snuggies.

[Michael Loucas]

Originally Posted by Scott A Martin

That looks like a flexibility issue. Look how far his wrists are bent back in the first pic. If he tried to get the bar any lower, his wrists wouldn't allow it.

To the OP, great work!

Wasn't a flexibility issue, I had no problems in the high bar position. Low bar is what is reccommended when doing SS. If anything I had more flexibility issues in low bar, but over time those issues went away.

[Michael Loucas]

Originally Posted by Brian Bedell

Good stuff. I revert back to SS'ish all the time.

There is a testimonial section, just saying...

Oops. Mod can move this post if they want.