Barry's Training Log

[Barry06GT]

Started StrongLifts 5x5 last night after work. I will do my best to keep this up to date. Remember, I am new to this. I read the logs of some of the women on this list and am blown away with how strong they are! But at 51, I can only do my very best, so here goes.

First Day Log - Workout A

Squat 115 lb 5/5/5/5/5

Bench Press 95 lb 5/5/5/5/5

Inverted Row: These are HARD!!! From my reading, it only counts if you touch your chest. I came close... 1/4/3 (with almost 10 reps per set trying).

Push Ups 5/6/4

Reverse Curl - I have got to learn to do this. My wife insisted it was more like leg lifts, but that don't seem right.

Thoughts: The body weight exercises are harder than the weighted ones, lol. The reverse curl is a complete mystery to me. I need to read and watch some videos. Working with my wife is a hoot. At 4 foot 9, and 55 years old, she is a dynamo!

[bobu]

Hi Barry,
Good start on the lifts but I think you mean reverse crunch not curl. If you go to SL Beginners program there is a video of Mehdi doing them.
I hope your wife sticks with it longer than mine did.

[Barry06GT]

Hi Barry,
Good start on the lifts but I think you mean reverse crunch not curl. If you go to SL Beginners program there is a video of Mehdi doing them.
I hope your wife sticks with it longer than mine did.

Yes, my bad, you are right, reverse crunch. That was an error between my chair and keyboard. Abs, not arms.

Doing Workout B for the first time tonight after work.

.

[Kathy]

Hi Barry,

Welcome to SL, nice bench press!

Inverted rows are probably the exercise I find most annoying. They are deceptively difficult. Definitely check out Mehdi's reverse crunch video
http://stronglifts.com/the-reverse-crun ... -pack-abs/

I think of it as "crunching" the hips toward the head and keeping the legs completely still, the legs only move because the hips are moving if that makes any sense. When you do it right, you really feel it in your abs.

Have your wife post her workouts too! It will be exciting to see you both progress.

Happy lifting!

Kathy

[Barry06GT]

To make sure my form was as good as possible, and with some hand-ringing, I lowered my weights, and in some cases started with just the bar.

Monday April 27 Workout B
Squat 45 5/5/5/5/5
O Press 45 5/5/5/5/5
Dead Lift 45 5/5/5/5/5
Pull-Up NONE! But w/ 30 lb assist 5/3/1

Wednesday April 29 Workout A
Squat 50 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press 65 5/5/5/5/5
IR 5/4/2 These are hard!
Push Ups 6/3/4

It feels funny squating 50 pounds when I can squat 150 3x10 with bad form. Using proper form is hard! But I did get to parallel or deeper at 50, so I made the4 right choice. My bench press was already in good form so I dropped the weight by the recomended 30 percent.

Friday awaits!

Barry

.

[Barry06GT]

Friday May 1 "Workout B"

SQ 55# 5/5/5/5/5
OP 50# 5/5/5/5/5
DL 50# 5x1
PU 30# assist 3/3/2
Prone Bridge 3x30 sec

Squatting only 55 pounds feels weird after squatting 150 with bad form.
All 25 reps of 55 pound squats went to parallel or lower! My wife is now spotting me on form.
Overhead press is tough. My shoulders were always my weakest part.
Deadlift feels strange so light, but my spotter says my form is getting much better.
Pull ups still need assist. I purchased the "Total Gym" doorway pull up bar, and test myself every day. I can now do 1 chin up with a push off from the toes, so it really don't count.

Tonight (Monday May 4) its onto workout A, woo hoo!

Barry

.

[thunderdownunder]

If possible Barry post a vid on here of your squat. If you went to the trouble of deloading to work on form then let someone critique it. Note to self: so do I....

[bobu]

You can probably increase your deadlift by 10# per workout otherwise your deadlift will quickly fall behind your squat.Generally its 5# per workout on squat snd both presses and 10# on deadlift until you get near a stall.

I agree with you on the overhead press. At times I think I'll never make any more gains with them.

[Barry06GT]

You can probably increase your deadlift by 10# per workout otherwise your deadlift will quickly fall behind your squat.Generally its 5# per workout on squat snd both presses and 10# on deadlift until you get near a stall.

I agree with you on the overhead press. At times I think I'll never make any more gains with them.

I never thought of that! Yes, that would make more sense, add 10# to the dead lift!

[gargoyle]

Deads also start at 85 lbs iirc. And make sure you get them up on something so the bar is at the right height, i.e. that of a 45 lb plate.

As for OHP - it's everyone's weakest and where you will stall first.

Welcome aboard again.

[Barry06GT]

Deads also start at 85 lbs iirc. And make sure you get them up on something so the bar is at the right height, i.e. that of a 45 lb plate.

As for OHP - it's everyone's weakest and where you will stall first.

Welcome aboard again.

Thanks! My gym, Bally's, has a dead lift platform, and you can rack the bar at the proper height.

I have to tell you, 300# squats and 350# dead lifts is very impressive! Thanks again for the info.

[gargoyle]

Deads also start at 85 lbs iirc. And make sure you get them up on something so the bar is at the right height, i.e. that of a 45 lb plate.

As for OHP - it's everyone's weakest and where you will stall first.

Welcome aboard again.

Thanks! My gym, Bally's, has a dead lift platform, and you can rack the bar at the proper height.

I have to tell you, 300# squats and 350# dead lifts is very impressive! Thanks again for the info.

Good to hear about the deads.

Oh, and those numbers are goals, not accomplishments. But I can see them on the horizon.

[Barry06GT]

Monday May 4 Workout A

Squat 60# 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press 70# 5/5/5/5/5
Invert Row 4/5/3
Push Up 5/3/5
Rev Crunch 3x12

Getting better on the IRs. I really pulled hard and on sets got 4 out of 6 attempts, 3 out of 5, and 3 out of 5. I just wish a non-touch counted for something, but heck, I will play by the rules.

OK, the push ups were demoralizing Monday night, as my wife bested my number, and she has stopped doing girly push ups and is now on her toes (not knees). I think this is a mental thing, and I have to really want it - and get tough, and not get beaten by a girl, lol...

[Barry06GT]

Wednesday May 6 Workout "B"

Squat
65# 5/5/5/5/5

Overhead Press
55# 5/5/5/5/5

Dead Lift
60# 5 reps
85# 5 reps

Chin Up / Pull Up with 30# assist
3 Chins / 1 Pull Up / 3 Chins

Prone Bridges 3 x 30sec

Taking Gargoyle's advice, I moved my dead lifts to 85 pounds. They felt great.

.

[gargoyle]

Taking Gargoyle's advice, I moved my dead lifts to 85 pounds. They felt great.

.

Glad to hear they went well. Just keep at it, and you will be to 185 in no time. Now is the time to work on your form while they are still light.

Lift Strong!