C-ron's training log

[Cron22]

i guess i should formally introduce myself....midwestern guy...32 y/o...consider myself fairly athletic...have been lifting weights on and off for about 5 years....am one of those guys that can go 100% for about 6-10 months out of the year and then fall completely off the planet...i can lose 20-30 lbs the right way pretty easily when needed and sure as hell pack it on when lazy and not watching my diet....currently i am 5-10 and bouncing between 198 and 203 lbs....i have a pretty decent build...not huge by any stretch...i think my strengths are my back and legs....i could use some added focus chest and arm wise...not to say they are lacking, but they are deficient compared to my other strong points....anyhoo...took up this site just browsing a couple days ago....really enjoy the forums and the plethora of knowledge....gonna take up my training log and see where i end up in a month or two doing the 5 x 5 workouts...strength wise i would consider myself above average...but my achilles is the fact that i train so well for most of the year and fall off only to have to start all over again...very humbling btw....figure if i use a training log and can get encouragement and input from other bloggers, that i can continue to strive towards my goals and stay on track....after all, what good is being a certified trainer if you don't look the part or look the part you would like to look...as of late, i'm between 13 and 14 percent BF....have been as low as 6% in the past...but that was a cardio heavy and carb absent 180 lbs...i was too flat and weak....somewhere between 8 and 10% would be nice...i imagine i would be in the high 180's or low 190's to be there...have taken a bit of a step back as of late due to a knee injury sustained a couple of weeks ago....stayed off it for a week or so...now back into squatting and deadlifting....really keeping an eye on it....wear a brace while at the gym...so anyways, i'm babbling...sorry for the rant...just introducing myself...i'll throw some strength stats at you in the near future...looking forward to starting up next week...curious to see where this goes...

C-ron

[Cron22]

after delving into this site a lil more, i suppose i'll start w/ the beginner's 5 x 5 workout atleast for a couple of weeks....i have recently paired up with a newbie at the local gym as "hopefully" a consistent partner for spots and encouragement...as for as where my stats are lift wise, here's what i came based off of some of my recent workouts...

Squats: 5 X 328 lbs.
Deadlifts: 5 X 365 lbs. (form slipping a bit)
Bench: 5 X 205 lbs.
Overhead Press: not sure; had been doing seated military press on Smith machine= ~145-150 lbs.
pull-ups: usually around 8
push-ups: once again, no idea...toying w/ the idea of doing them w/ 45 lb plate for reps; dunno???
prone bridge: just did today at the gym w/ a plate on my back...was able to do just over a minute
inverted rows: not sure again; might try and put on weighted vest while doing...or could just do barbell rows instead..if that's the case, barbell rows would be 5 X 220...but definitely some momentum being used...bent at 45 degrees as well...

that's where i stand as of now...we'll see in a couple of weeks...will be doing post cardio as well as off day cardio...still could stand to lose some body fat as i have been sitting between 13 and 14 percent for a while now....was at 20 percent in late september as well as about 220 lbs...now between 198 and 203 lbs....we'll see what happens!

C-ron

[Cron22]

yeah..back again...had been thinking about blowing off the whole beginners 5 x 5...but after reading more into the site (can't say just how much i really do enjoy it!) why stop? if the weights continue to go up, workout after workout, why the hell stop? not only that, when you make the jump to intermediate or advanced, the advancements slow down to a halt...here's hoping that never comes!..so monday...beginners 5 x 5 it is...

C-ron

[gargoyle]

I came to the same conclusion. Sure, every weight I am doing started out so easy, it was not funny. But I took it as the perfect time to nail down form, and in the long run, the weights are going to add up, and even within 6 months they will be at a stall level.

[Cron22]

alright, finally on par with the workout, ready to roll...had a couple newbies at the gym jump in...helped to motivate them and myself...i do tend to stay more focused when by myself but do benefit from the added mental assistance of the occasional spot when going heavier...so...here are the stats from monday's workout....squats...had thought my 5 x 5 max was 328 lbs based on 5-rep max calculation based on squatting 245 15x...did 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 245 x 5, 275 x 5, 295 x 5, and 315 x 3...perhaps not as many sets and i would have gotten 315 5x...in time, in time....bench wise...felt pretty good...185 x 5, 195 x 5, 205 x 5, 215 x 5, 225 x 5 (got thru last two w/ help; almost there)...inverted rows(feet raised on flat bench)12, 8, 8....fatigue quickly...comes out of nowhere...pushups..had no idea where the hell i would be on this one....first set...31xBW....2nd set...add 25 lb plate to back...11x + drop set to BWx3.....3rd set used a 45 lb plate on my back...got 9 + drop set to BWx3....reverse crunch...manually i am able to do more than 12...so i tweaked it a bit...laid in the middle of the cable machine...used the ropes behind my head, arms extended and put a small straight bar at my feet held in place by my feet and set both sides at 1 plate resistance...more or less double crunched in the middle....tougher than you think...also did some prone bridges w/ a 45 lb plate on my back...held for just over 40 secs....did some other ab moves...kinda wing it with the abs...prefer to use ab exercises that have resistance...was happy with the workout..and i think i have a couple guys who may be consistent lifting partners...atleast for the time being...

C-ron

[Cron22]

need to re-focus here...for certain....since the knee injury a couple weeks back playing basketball, i've been very hesitant to run...absolutely couldn't have the first week...knee still catching a bit...not able to sprint during intervals...kinda concerning...will continue to keep my eye on it...started off with a slight warm up...8 mins....3.5-4.0 mph...at 7-10 incline...then bounce into HIIT and complexes...wow...wake up call...this shit is rough...first did 3 sets of barbell hybrid of bent over row-good morning(bb held to chest)-neider press...had 5's on the barbell...3 sets of 10...1 min rest between sets...form slipped towards ends of sets....last two sets wore weighted vest while doing..(20 lbs)...already somewhat winded...then went into a dumbbell complex...DB Hang Snatch+Squat Press+Pushup+Core Row...started w/ 15s...prety rough...made six reps till i wanted to fall on my face when i was doing core rows...rest a min...then make four plus reps....almost fall on face AGAIN...drop down to 10 lb Dbs...get 6 reps...DEFINITELY room for improvement....move onto countdowns....nothing but bodyweight stuff but absolutely fuckin' brutal...pushup to squat jump...simple right? 10 reps as fast as possible...rest 10 seconds...9 reps...rest 10 secs..and so on down to 1 rep....FUNK THAT...i get 10 the first time....rest 30 seconds, not 10 mind you....get four this time...rest 30 seconds again...and get 4..not very happy at all...this shit is rough...then i go into a tabata interval w/ cable squat row hybrid...50 lbs...20 secs as many reps as possible given good form...rest 10 seconds...repeat...get six rounds done....sweating pretty good....then i hop on a treadmill....put weighted vest back on (20 lbs) and walk 3.3 mph at 10 incline for 5 min...1 1/2 min rest interval at 2mph at 1 incline....back to 3.5mph at 10 incline for 5 mins....2mph at 1 incl for 1 1/2 min....then 3.9 mph at 10 incline for 5 mins....2 mph at 1 incl w/o vest....jog at 6 mph for 2 mins....4 mph walk for 1 min....2 min at 6.5...1 min. at 4 mph......2 min. at 7mph....2 min at 2 mph...sweating bullets by the end..that weighted vest was kicking my ass...serves me right for eating like absolute shit for the last week...scared to jump on the scale or check my body fat to tell you the truth...feel disgusting and scared to know where i'm at....i'll check on sunday like i always do...do my body fat via bioimpedance...yeah, it isn't the best means but if you use the same form of measurement everytime then there is some validity to the means of testing...looking forward to hitting it again tomorrow...gotta make sure to get in some quality cardio post workout...thinking about taking some pics of myself to hold myself accountable and post them on here....i'm feeling bloated and soft in the middle...need to get my shit back on track nutritionally...last week has been a feeding frenzy and has created some temporary bad habits...shit's gotta go...feel like absolute ass...time to get real...enough of this...it's go time tomorrow!

C-ron
note to self: gonna shoot for 380 on deadlift x 5 tomorrow...no stalls...we'll see

[Cron22]

so...got off to a slow start...was yappin w/ the gym owner for like 25 mins...ugh...actually worked out well cuz my partner (who i thought was no showin') walks in just as i'm starting to warm up...ok, so it begins....here's how it worked out...

Front Squat 5 x 155/175/185(form slippin a bit)/195(2x); bar slippin down shoulders to arms; 195 (3x)--once again bar slippin' (work weight 190lbs next time)
Overhead Press- was concerned about shoulder flexibility here; started light;
5 x 55/75/95/105(just get through last one)/115 x 3 (spotted two more to five)
Deadlift- warmup 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 3 (form off; feeling weak?), 275 x 3, 335 x 5 (know i'm rounding a bit at bottom; feel strong enough thru it) ----> 345-350 lbs next time?
Pull-ups- Flat out embarassing; have i lost that much? or my diet that shitty of late? dunno?...
Wide grip x 4 (spotted thru 4 more); rev grip close x 6(spotted thru 3 more); rev grip close 4x (+3 on spot)
Prone bridges- all sets, just body weight; 1st set lil confusion, watching the seconds on my watch and don't so much notice the minute marker...was either 2'40" or 1'40"...2nd set 1'45"....3rd set 1'24"

Post workout cardio; once again slap on the weight vest (20lbs)
did some on the fly intervals
3.5-4mph at 8-10 incl for 5 mins
2mph @ 1incl for 1'30"
5.5-6mph @ 2incl for 5 mins
2mph@1incl for 1'30"
7mph @ 2incl for 2' (vest still on)
shed vest; 3mph for 1'
8mph no vest for 2' (left knee iffy; can feel right side compensating)
Cool Down 2 mins at 2 mph
total 1.59 miles; calories burned 200+

all in all, solid workout; partner is making good gains, for an inexperienced lifter his form is remarkable...might just have my first respectable partner in a long time...flying solo on friday...have to try and squeeze some cardio somehow tomorrow at home...gym is closed...

[amaeland]

Welcome to the forum

I would like to follow your log but it is a bit hard on the eyes. Could you maybe use a few more line breaks or separate the comments from the sets/reps/weights more clearly?

Seems like a complicated routine you've got going. Decided to ditch SL 5x5 after all? Interesting to read about other workout routines that don't focus on machines.

[gargoyle]

When/if he has more line breaks, I think you will see he is doing 5x5. It's all there, and nothing else that I see. Maybe with the exception of him documenting his cardio. Maybe that is what you are seeing as complicated?

Then again...C-ron, why are you increasing your weight every set? I thought they were warm ups at first, but you never get to a 5x5 set at one weight.

[Cron22]

sorry for the breakdown...yeah, bit of a documentary style i guess...lol...my bad...as far as complicated, i wouldn't say that...this is a far cry from what i was doing...but i'm focusing on strength gains here...size if it happens but that would coincide more w/ eating...after all, no matter what your goal, 85% is food management...i will put workout stats in a more digestable way from now on...yeah, i'm long winded...once again, my bad..lol....as far as a true 5 x 5...i guess i'm trying to feel out where my working weights will be...i'm falling into it more now...was a lil truer to it today

mindset wise going in today i knew i was off....focus wasn't there...wasn't sure if i really wanted to do it, but knew i had to...knee felt shaky to begin with...i figured that out when i got into some work sets on my squats...here's how it turned out...

Squats 5 x 5 275 x 5 (almost stuck at bottom of 5th rep; left knee unstable today); decided to take the weight down and get some quality reps; 225 x 12/10/10/10
Bench Press (no spot) 215 x 5; 220 x 3/3/3/2 (really could have used a partner!)
Barbell Row 135 x 5 (strict form); 185 x 5; 205 x 5 (starting to raise up to nearly 45degrees; some hip extension); 215 x 5 (momentum more noticeable; starting to come to life though!); 225 X 5 (last two reps garbage but pumped up nonetheless)
Push ups: BW x 30; decline PUs x 13; incline PUs x 11 (fatigue that quickly? wow...very surprised..is it the focus or diet or what?!)

decided to throw in some arm work; kinda winging it
Barbell Curls 65 x 10; 85 x 9; 105 x 3 plus dropset to 65 for 12x
[u][i][b]Tri Pushdowns ] (cable straight bar) #11 x 20; #13 x 11; #15(entire stack) x 7/3 plus drop set to #8 for 8reps

No ab work or cardio; unfocused, relatively undriven as compared to usual, and out of time; want to stay out of the wifey's doghouse!..lol...will hit up the cardio and abs hard tomorrow

[Cron22]

well, fresh back from the workout...slugging down a tasty shake (1c skim milk, 1/2c oats, 2 tbsp natural PB, 1 sc whey, and crushed ice)...so....here's the stats...

1) DB Hybrid 3 x 6-10; DB lunge-curl-press w/ 15s# 1 min rest interval
15s x 10/10/8
2)Body Weight Complex (24s)
-ok, should explain this one....24 consecutive BW squats, 24 BW squat jumps, 24 BW alt lunges, and 24 alt split squat jumps(1 min rest betw sets)
-RESULTS- depressing
1st set- 24 BW squats, 12 BW sq.jumps, 8 alt lunges, 3 spl.sq.jumps (LEGS BURNING!!!)
2nd set- decide to take it down to 12s...still fail...12/12/6/6
3rd set- 6/6/6/3
4th set- switched it up a bit; BW squats, BW sq.jumps, BW power lunges; 6/6/6
THESE F'N FRIED MY LEGS; HR UP IN THE HIGH 150S; wow, where did my conditioning go??

3) Countdowns- Push ups to BW squats
1st set- 10 reps in 37 secs
rest 30 sec
2nd set- 8 reps in NO IDEA
rest 30 sec
3rd set- 6 reps in 26 secs.

4) Tabata intervals- Weighted jump rope w/ weighted vest on (20lbs)
-supposed to complete 8 rounds of 20 sec on, 10 sec off
-completed 7 rounds before i folded, albeit the last 3 rounds i shorted the 20 seconds due to failure

5) Ab circuit
-was shooting for 3 rounds; got 2 done-------> have i slipped that much? or am i overtraining? dunno??
A) Cable suplex w/ twist (#5)
B) Decline situp w/ 45# plate
C) Russian Twist w/ 25# plate
D) 10# Med Ball static hold (elevated behind head) while reverse crunching
-attempting 10 reps per exercise consecutively
-1st set fine
-2nd set bleh (shorted russian twists and rev crunches; spent!)

Post Cardio w/ weighted vest
15 mins at 3-3.5 at 7-8 incl (HR betw mid 130s and high 140s)
5 min CD @ 2.5 mph w/ vest on still

fought thru this; big believer in BW and weighted cardio; tough stuff!; gotta get better every time!
lil frustrated but nonetheless solid workout....very humbling

[kimlin85]

hey, great thread. im picturing you running on the treadmill with the vest on haha.

[amaeland]

With workouts like that you have to be in seriously good shape...that bodyweight complex looks like a killer! You do all sorts of stuff I've never heard about (tabata intervals, russian twists etc.), intriguing

[Cron22]

running w/ the vest on is no joke...unfortunately my left knee that is nagging me is keeping me from going "balls out"...so far now, sprints and hardcore intervals are OUT of the question...i have to take a step back in that respect...even considering taking the weight down on both squats and deadlifts to give my knee a break...i've noticed that my right knee has a slight ache as well..possibly due to subconsciously overcompensating for my left knee?? who knows?...those body weight complexes and countdowns...wow...fahgeddaboudet....tough as hell...have to get better at those...i would say i'm in better than average shape but have taken a step back since the knee setback...i'm not a patient person by any stretch, but this is an exercise in patience...i used to play basketball a few times a week as well but have had to give that up for the time being...which really really sucks..i love playing ball...but i'm very concerned about cutting and jumping w/ my knee feeling as unstable as it does...have to keep an eye on it and push through it somehow...it's not that the pain is unbearable, it's more of an "annoying, i know you're there, and it's pissing me off" kind of a feeling...oh well...suck it up...deal with it...sitting on my ass won't make it any better....thanx for checking out the log...this forum is addicting!

C-ron

[kimlin85]

i was just kidding, it sounds very intense. nice numbers on your main lifts too btw. im starting to get back into tabata and interval training, it really rapes your lungs!