ExRx.net

Week 4 Pull

10 minute warm up on recumbent bike: 2.93 miles

DL: 5x135, 5x225, 5x5x275.
Pendlay Rows: 5x5x165
Chins(double band): 5x5

Finisher: 30 minute bike ride, 9.50 miles

Notes: Took a week off due to my sinus infection. Instead of starting week 4 with Pull, I ended it. Felt really strong. Of course, I ripped a callus again today...same one. I even shaved them today. It's officially time for chalk. I will be attempting chins with the single band during week 5.

30 Minute ride, 9.33 miles.

Week 5: legs

10 minute bike ride warm up, 3.03 miles

Squat: 5x95, 5x135, 5x5x225
Leg Press: 5x5x630
Calf Raise: 5x5x130

Farmer Walks: 80lbs db's. 3 sets of 100 feet(estimate)

Notes: Got sidetracked by a friend after I warmed up on the bike. Spent maybe 10 minutes talking to him and by the time I got to the squat rack I felt weak. Maybe I'm just making excuses...squats, the last two sets, 4th and 5th rep were sloppy. Leg press was strong. Had to finally increase rest time up from 1 minute between sets to 2-3. I will not be adding 10lbs to the bar next week and 45lbs to LP. Will add 5 to the bar and 25 to LP. I knew I would get through this week, but it was tiring.

Morning weigh in. So far since 1/1/12, i have lost 23.6lbs.
Since I started my fitness path, I have officially lost 80lbs. 13lbs more to go for my first goal!!!

Week 5: Push

3.13 Mile, 10 minute warm up on bike.

DBBP: 5x60, 5x70, 5x5x95
OHP: 4x115, 5x115, 5x115, 5x115, 5x115
CGBP: 5x5x155 w/ 2 Rest Pause reps.

Abs: DB Side bends 10x80, 10x85, 10x95

Notes: Had an issue with the gym due to not having my badge. Apparently they are enforcing the new rule of no entry without badge, even though I've gone there practically every other day since they opened, wit the exception of 20 weeks when I went every day. I got really pissed at the girl because I had just taken my pre-workout drink, but I get it...rules need to be enforced. Thanks for the heads up...you email me about every stupid rule change yet you failed to do so on this one(I brought this up with the owner later on). So I went home, cooked dinner, played with my son and then went back. Had ANOTHER pre-workout mix(and now I'm going to be up all night), blasted through my warmup and into DBBP. I had my first moment where I thought I would stall, but after struggling with set 4(ass came off the bench on rep 5), I gave myself 5 minutes accidentally before the 5th set and banged them out with ease. I told myself that if I stall on any one exercise before I have my week 10 deload, I'm going to just continue to grind out whatever weight caused me to not complete the 5x5 until I can.

I find that with doing OHP right after DBBP, there is too much carryover and it caused me to only hit 4 reps on the first set. I need 3 minutes before OHP and not 2. Every other set I gave myself 3 minutes and was able to hit all 5 reps each set. I will do 115lbs again next week and see where I'm at. I was a little pissed with this, but what can you do?

Week 5: Pull

10 minutes warm up on recumbent bike. 2.98 miles.

DL: 5x135, 5x225, 5x5x285
Pendlay Row: 5x5x175
Chins(single band): 3x3x3x4x4

20 Minutes bike ride: 6.43 miles

Notes: Stretched my hams this morning and I think it had a negative effect on my DL's. Felt like I was using my back more to muscle it up. I'm nowhere near my max or workout weight from the last time I went heavy so I'm not too concerned. I think that 5x5 on DL's may be TOO much volume and. I'm not used to so much volume and it really takes it out of me. I think that my main lifts may switch to a 5/3/1 and have my other movements the 5x5. With chins, I used the single band, but when I stand on it, I can't get full extension due to my height. If I bend my knees, the band does nada. I need to possibly see if they have a shorter version of this band or maybe switching to an even lighter version that I can double up.

Edit: After thinking about everything, I think for DL's I may just RAMP the weight up. For instance, 5x135, 5x185, 5x225, 5x275, 5xWorkout weight. So, still getting the volume and still lifting heavy for my last set. Rip brings this up in Practical Programming and Stronglifts mentions 1x5 on DL's.

Typically Sundays are cardio day, but I decided to go take some BP/fielding work on the diamond to get ready for softball season. Felt like I burned the same amount of calories based on how sweaty I was from two rounds of bp and running around shagging fly balls.

Week 6: legs

10 minute warmup on Recumbent bike. 2.77 miles

Squat: 5x45, 5x135, 5x5x230
Leg Press: 5x5x655
Calf Raise: 5x5x140

Farmers Walk: 90lbs db's x 3 sets of 100 feet.

Notes: Decided to warm up with the bar weight as my first set, and 135 as my second. I found this to be better than 95/135 because I feel like I was able to really loosen up this way. Only went up 5lbs for squats and 25lbs for LP. I did this because I barely got through last week and didn't want to stall. Before I got to the gym today, I thought today was going to be the day I stalled and I even decided what I would do if I fail. However, as I got to the gym and told myself that no matter what, I wouldn't stall....and I prevailed! I am however glad I cut down the additional weight in half, because if I would have went up to the full amount I have been, I would have stalled for sure.

I wrote up a plan of what to do when I do stall on these exercises. I know that before long I will not be able to handle the volume as the weight goes up. Since my main goal is to move more weight, what I will do when I stall is switch to a 3x5 working set, but continue to do 5x5(2 warmups sets). After I stall, I will do this the following week at the same weight, but ONLY when a lift stalls. So if squats stall, but LP does not, I will continue to do 5x5 on LP till it does. At week 10, regardless of where I am, I will test my ORM's in the core 4, and then spend a week de-loading @ 60-65%. After that week, I figure out my 85% of my ORM, and re-start there doing the 3x5 working sets. I will try to keep the chins to 5x5 until I hit my goal of chin ups. I may also switch some of my lifts depending on how I feel. CGBP to Dips, Leg Press to Unilateral Leg Press, Seated to standing calf raises, etc etc.

Week 6 push

10 min, 2.88 miles on exercise bike.

DBBP: 5x60, 5x70, 3x3x3x3x1 @ 100lb db's
OHP: 5x5x115
CGBP: 5x5x160

DB Side Bends: 3x10 @ 90lbs

Notes: Well, it happened, I failed on DBBP. Tried to power through it, I just had nothing in the tank. Ate well today, had plenty of sleep. Just not sure where I went wrong. I did try a new pre-workout supp, which could have caused the zap of energy, but who knows. It was probably just my time. I was working out with 105lbs db's before I did this, so I have a feeling I just need to get used to the weight. Can't decide whether I want to try for 5x5 again next week, or just say screw it and go for 3x5. I may try and roll with the 5x5 again. The amount of time being spent at the gym now is starting to wear thin on my mental. I end up being there for over an hour, so maybe the 3x5 is going to be better. Who knows...i'll sleep on it and see where I'm at next week.

Anyway, trying egg white proteins. Had a HUGE shake after the gym. 2 scoops @ 28.1 grams a scoop, banana, 2 scoops of natty peanut butter, ice and unsweetened coconut milk. Feeling FULL right now.

Week 6 pull

3.05 mile warm up on bike.

DL(ramping sets to one max set): 5x135, 5x185, 5x225, 5x255, 5x295.
Pendlay Row: 5x5x185
Chins(single band): 4x4x3x3x3

30 minute bike ride, 9.06 miles.

Notes: Felt really good with the new DL routine. I started off where I would be if I was doing 5x5, which will give me more weeks of gains. With chins, I figured out how to use the band I have, and just shorten it by wrapping it a few more times around the grips. I was able to make it the same length as if I was doubling the band but as a single. Felt really good.

Week 7 Legs

10 minutes on recumbent, 2.90 miles.

Squat: 5x5x235
Leg Press: 5x5x675
Seated Calf Raise: 5x5x140

Farmers Walks: 3x100feet @ 95lbs

Notes: Felt really strong today. I know that a 235lbs squat isn't much, and it's 30lbs away from my heaviest workout weight, but I feel like the progression is working well. When I got to leg press, I tell you, it's starting to be heavy and really make me struggle for the 4th-5th rep. Love the head rush!

Week 7 Push

2.55 miles warmup, MILD pace

DB BP: 5x60, 5x70, 5x100, 3x100, 3x100
OHP: 5x120, 5x120, 4x120
CGBP: 5X5X165 WITH 2 rest pause reps at the end.

DB Side Bends: 3x10x95

Notes: Time to grind it out on DBBP. I can't progress slower so it's just a matter of hitting 3x5 @ 100 then increasing the weight and grinding till I get 3x5 @ 105. OHP. First sets were weak sauce. Third set I just had nothing in the tank. Next week I will warm up with bw, than 95 then grind out 3 sets of 120. Continuing on the 5x5. CGBP is starting to slow up. I'm now increasing the rest time.

Again, starting to feel sick. I'm not sure if it's my son in day care, or I'm over training with all the 5x5 stuff. Hopefully It's nothing crazy and I can slam through Pull Day on Saturday with no hitch.

Week 7 Pull

10 minute bike warmup, 2.44 miles

DL: 5x135, 5x185, 5x225, 5x255, 5x305
Pendlay Rows: 5x5x190
Chins(band assisted): 5x3x3x4x3

30 minute bike ride, 9.66 miles.

Notes: Dl felt great. Lowering the heavy volume definitely helps with recovery. Back on track to a big pull. With chins, I kind of messed up and didn't wrap the band enough. First set was really strong, but after that it was super weak until I realized this. Set 4 and 5 were much better.

Week 8 legs

10 minute bike warmup, 3.11 miles

Squat: 5x45, 5x135, 5x5x240
Leg Press: 5x695, 4x695, 5x695, 5x695, 4x695
Calf Raise: 5x5x150

Farmers Walks: 3 sets of 100 feet with 100lb db's.

Notes: Thought I failed the second set because of lack of rest time because I hit 5 reps on set 3 and 4, until I failed on the last set as well. Not sure what this means. Probably still a matter of rest time. I'm now spending more than an hour at the gym, which time is a big thing at this point. I think it's time to switch to a 3x5 on leg press with no warm up sets, since squatting is a nice warm up for it anyway.

Week 8 Push

3.08 mile bike ride

DB BP: 5x55, 5x70, 4x100, 5x100, 5x100
OHP: 5x45, 5x95, 4x120, 4x120, 5x120
CGBP: 5x5x170

DB Side Bends: 10x10x100

Notes: Think it's time for a deload. Since I haven't completed a workout on Push day in three sessions. The question is, max test or deload first?