_bruce_ - 5x5 - from tit to breast... to EVEREST

[MisterMagoo]

good attitude! 

that said, i think doing a 5x5 multiple times in one day might be a little shattering on the ol' CNS.

[_bruce_]

DAY: Wednesday
DATE: June the 9th/2008
TIME: 21:50 - 22:41

pm

CARDIO TODAY? NO


LENGTH OF WORKOUT:  51. min.

WEIGHT: ~182.5 lbs

LOCATION: at home


MOOD WHEN STARTING: Tired. Let's see...


Rest:
90  sec between sets
180 sec between exercises


Weighted Pull-ups -             5 reps       +      2.5 kg/   5.625 lbs... easy... last one was hard


Close grip benches -            5 reps       +  50 + 5 kg/   123.75 lbs... easy... last one was hard

Barbell Squats -                  5 reps       +  50 + 5  kg/  123.75 lbs... HARD*




Nice, but squatting takes me too long -> preparing weights/setup and exercise
*Will go back to 45lb(minus bar) and better my technique. Somethings not right.

[_bruce_]

DAY: Sunday
DATE: July/13nth/2008
TIME: 22:20 - 22:41

pm

CARDIO TODAY? No


LENGTH OF WORKOUT:   21 min.

WEIGHT: ~183 lbs

LOCATION: at home


MOOD WHEN STARTING: Tired


Rest:
90  sec between sets
180 sec between exercises


Bent over barbell rows -            5 reps       +   50 + 5 kg/  123.75 lbs... not heavy, not light, just right

Deadlifts -                                5 reps       + 70 + 5 kg/  168.75 lbs... used straps on the last set, last one felt heavy


Good!


...still have a little problem with the barbell rows. Back feeling is great but overall bodyposition feels awkward. Lower back
    doesn't like my explosive positive. Always torn up between rotating or just pulling the weight.
...did 2 pump sets for the bicep as a last exercise
...finished with DC stretches for bicep(60 secs) and back - could hold onto the bar for 45 secs this time

[_bruce_]

DAY: Tuesday
DATE: July the 15nth/2008
TIME: 19:17 - 20:21

pm

CARDIO TODAY? YES


LENGTH OF WORKOUT:   too many!!! mins.

WEIGHT: ~184 lbs

LOCATION: at home


MOOD WHEN STARTING: Tired


Rest:
90  sec between sets
180 sec between exercises


Weighted Chin-ups -                  5 reps       +   7,5 kg/  16.875 lbs...   last few reps were very very hard

Dumbbell Calf Raises -                5 reps       + 55 kg/   123.75 lbs... easy

One arm Dumbbell Military Press - 5 reps       +  27,5 kg/  61.875 lbs... !hard! + Ouch again - hurt my back, no injury but tweaked

Rear Delt Row -                         5 reps        +  50 kg/  112.5 lbs... had to stop at the 3rd set - no gas left

Close grip bench press -              5 reps       +  55 kg/ 123.75 lbs... last rep was hard, other 24 were like hot butter




Very strange workout - something's not right....
1 )
Have to make a simple log about eating... I haven't followed the 2 carbup days for some time and I think it hurt me today...
...couldn't really get the blood flowing during sets.

2)
Sleep is still slightly off - enough sleep but at the wrong times.

3)
The 5x5 through all sets seems to be a bit overkill - have to ask Magoo/Slave for further info.
Also 4 workouts per week seem too much.

4)
I have to remember that just 14 days ago my sleep schedule was totally out of whack, so my first trials went pretty well.

5)
The one arm shoulder presses were pretty exhausting and I think this time they also killed my rear delts so the rear delt rows
were treated like a stepchild.


The close grip benches are def. one of the favorite exercises of mine - finally I can really feel them in the tris.

[_bruce_]

Ok, started anew...
...read Bill Starrs stuff about 5x5 as many times as I could.
...worked on my squat technique because basically... I had none.
...doing the "Bill Starr 5x5 Linear Version for Intermediate Lifters"
   trying the 2.5% add per week - at my current weights quite a microtitty progress, but
   technique is too bad to lift heavier... I'm in no hurry.
...benches are done with a closer grip and feel in the tris.
...negatives slow - positives explosive
...Wednesday I add chinups(2x5)
...Friday has extensions work for arms(only to pump them up for the DC stretches)


Monday

Start: 21:40
End:   22:22
Duration: 42 min.

Mood: Good

Cardio: no

Squat          -  20,  25,  30,  35,  40 kg | +0

CG Bench   -  25,  35,  40,  45,  50 kg | +0

Row            -  20,  30,  40,  50,  55 kg | +0



Comments:

Great, Squatting feels 10x better - left foot was improperly positioned - realigned my stance.
Rows are ok, not my favs, back feels tender when doing them as 90° as I can
Bench feels perfect

[_bruce_]

Wednesday

Start: 21:20
End:   22:00
Duration: 40 min.

Mood: Good

Cardio: no

Squat             -  20,  25,  30,  30,  x kg | +0

CG-Bench     -  25,  35,  40,  40,  x kg | +0

Deadlift         -  20,  30,  40,  50,  60 kg | +0

+ Chinups        - 2x5 + 0 kg

Comments:


Great. Squatting feels good - though some muscles are badly shortened due to former poo-poo "technique".
Deads feel much better - all done from the ground up... also did this exercise wrong(mainly starting position)
CG Benches feel good.
Chinups - range of motion is way better.... good stretch + chin really above bar. No more partial jerkups.

[The Master]

Your bench = many times better than Debusseys

[MisterMagoo]

it's rare to see someone doing proper chins. even bodyweight, 99% of trainers throw swing and leg-kicks into it. good work my man.

[Overload]

it's rare to see someone doing proper chins. even bodyweight, 99% of trainers throw swing and leg-kicks into it. good work my man.

Yup.

They are much better when you start from a dead hang at the bottom and a pause at the top with your chin above the bar.

Chins are one of the exercises that are done wrong 99% of the time.

[_bruce_]

Thx for the motivating words - may the mass be with you 



Monday 5th - August - 2008

Start: 21:40
End:   22:40
Duration: 60 min. ?

Mood: Good

Cardio: no

Squat            -  20,  25,  30,  35,  42,5 kg | +0

CG Bench   -  25,  35,  40,  45,  57,5 kg | +0

Row              -  20,  30,  40,  50,  *Pullup kg | +1,25kg


*last set of rows is 5 reps of pullups... can't do without them


Comments:


Squat   - ok, still not perfect, but no more uneasy feeling in the back, drive is better
Rows    -  ok, now with pullups in the end
Bench   - same weight more control

[slaveboy1980]

are you squatting 42.5kg?

is this some kind of madcow/starr setup?

[_bruce_]

are you squatting 42.5kg?

is this some kind of madcow/starr setup?

Yes(90lb) - I have not much power overall. I'm slowly building up and learning proper technique. Many weak links on my body... which I haven't been aware of.
It's from Bill Starr's doc on the net. Also read about Pendley, but the higher volume turned me off since I'm a beginner.

[burn2live]

Wow, very detailed log! Keep it coming!

[_bruce_]

Wednesday - August the 7nth 2008

Start: 22:00
End:   22:45
Duration:  45 min.

Mood: Good

Cardio: no

Squat             -  20,  25,  30,  30,  x kg | +0 ..................~66lb

Presses*     -  20,  25,  30,  35,  x kg | +0 .....................~75lb

Deadlift         -  30,  40,  50,  62,5 kg | +2,5kg ................~135lb

+ Chinups        - 2x5 | + 2,5 kg...................... .................. ~6lb


*made a mistake last Wednesday and did cg-bench-presses instead of presses 

Comments:


Great.
Squatting - good... still some issues.
Presses    - good... form is so, so
Deads      - ok, knees are sometimes noisy
Chinups    - great, first set was like air. handspacing has to be less than shoulderwidth or form suffers.

[_bruce_]

Current snapshot - Kamali came over and took two shots... blurry but since I'm fat it's ok.
Next snapshots without Kamali lighting when I'm leaner.

[_bruce_]

Monday 11th - August - 2008

Start: 22:50
End: 23:40  
Duration: 50 min.

Mood: Good, but tired

Cardio: no

Squat            -  20,  25,  30,  35,  45 kg | +2,5kg

CG Bench   -  25,  35,  40,  45,  60 kg | +2,5kg

Row              -  20,  30,  40,  50,  *Pullup kg | +2,5kg


*last set of rows is 5 reps of pullups... can't do without them


Comments:


Squat   - ok...I'm more aware og not letting the knees inward
Rows    -  ok... oullups were paperweight
Bench   - good, right shoulder is kinda annoyed

[_bruce_]

Wednesday - August the 13nth 2008

Start: 22:25
End:   23:18
Duration:  too many min... was pretty lame today

Mood: Good

Cardio: no

Squat             -  20,  25,  30,  35,  x kg   | +0

Presses*       -  20,  25,  30,  37,5  x kg | +2,5kg .........~85lb

Deadlift         -  30,  40,  50,  65 kg       | +5kg ................~140lb

+ Chinups        - 2x5                            | + 3,75 kg............. ~7.5lb




Comments:


Ok. .. felt very exhausted.
Squatting - good.
Presses    - so, so... hit my chin 2 times.
Deads      - ok.
Chinups    - great, pretty easy..

[MisterMagoo]

do you feel like the program is benefiting you? to me it seems like a light load, but if it's working, i might have to look into it again.

[_bruce_]

do you feel like the program is benefiting you? to me it seems like a light load, but if it's working, i might have to look into it again.

Too early for me to give a valid oppinion on the routines viability - come December, next snapshot, I can say slightly more.
From a fun and athletic perspective it definitely delievers - never had that much fun doing weight-training... so having a blast is most important for me.
Furthermore it's rather easy to follow, at least at the beginner level where I am.
What really improved is my form and power on chins/pulls - basically it feels like air.
Also close grip benches are a joy... every rep feels great.

From a weight perspective I have the goals of a...
225lb cg-bench
200lb squat
250lb dead
180lb press

...if I can perform these lifts with good form and control I'll take a sharp look into the mirror and judge the routine and how my body changed in relation to it.
And finally - I don't give one poo about being a brute, big or superstrong - but I have big respect for those who excel in this area.

All I want - some muscle and a flat midsection 

[Stubborn]

Maybe you already said but what is your age?

[_bruce_]

Maybe you already said but what is your age?

30...
...50 on the G&o.

[_bruce_]

Friday 15th - August - 2008

Start: 19:07
End: 20.00  
Duration:  53 min.

Mood: Good, very tired

Cardio: no

Squat                        -  20,  25,  30,  35, ( 47,5 x 3 ),  ( 30 x 8 ) kg | +5 kg

CG Bench                 -  25,  35,  40,  45, ( 62,5 x 3 ),  ( 40 x 8 ) kg | +5kg
 
Row                            -  20,  30,  40,  50,  *(Bodyweight+5 x 3), (50x8) kg | +5kg

Barbell-curls                  -    3x8x10 kg 
Barbell-frenchpress        -    3x8x10 kg



*last set of rows is 5 reps of pullups... can't do without them



Comments:


Cool... everything felt light. Felt nearly as strong as...


                 
                                                                                   


Squat   - ok...I'm more aware of not letting the knees inward. Sometimes balance suffers.
Rows    -  ok... pullups were paperweight - except last rep
Bench   - so, so... can't decide to move the bar below, mid or at upper sternum level

[_bruce_]

Had some schedule issues... normal prog continues next week.
Did a refresher today to check strength and it's ok...

Bw ~188lbs

Squats  - 50   kg + 7,5kg... slightly hard
CgBp     - 65   kg + 7,5kg... slightly hard
Chins    -  Bw      + 7,5 kg ...pretty easy

[_bruce_]

Tuesday 2nd - September - 2008

Still no normal schedule...

Bw ~188lbs

Squats      - 52,5   kg + 10    kg     ...slightly hard
Presses     - 40      kg + 10    kg     ...slightly hard
Chins        -  Bw        +   8,75kg     ...pretty easy

[_bruce_]

Wednesday - September the 4th 2008

Start: 20:50
End:   21:50
Duration:  too many min

Mood: So, so

Cardio: no

Squat         -  25,  35,  35,  45,      x kg                          

CgBp          -  25,  35,  45,  55,  67,5 kg                           | +10 kg .........

Rows          -  25,  35,  45,  55,  Bodyweight + 6,25 kg       | +6,25 kg ................






Comments:


Ok. .. felt very exhausted.
Schedule still off... will return to normal on monday.

Squatting          - good... loud knees today
CgBP                 - so, so... +5kg when warming up was too much - next time only 2,5kg. Last set was HARD
Rows                 - good, last set was HARD