Crypticburn's Training Log

[Crypticburn]

Introduction:
I've been a long time lurker to this forum, gathering as much information as I continued with my previous lifting routine. About three weeks ago, I decided to get on the SL 5x5 program, and give it a shot. Over the last couple months, I have slowly been incorporating more compound lifts into my routine, and in the past couple years I made the transition to mostly free weights.

It would have been helpful to have a resource like this when I began lifting about 5 years ago, it would have given me direction and helped me form reasonable goals. While it took me this long to find a place like this, as they say, it's better late than never (not that I'm old, just the last 5 years could have been more productive). I look forward to progressing with all of you, and I'm inspired by all the progress so many of you have already made - and make on a daily basis.

I'll be updating this log with my last couple weeks of workouts, but until I do - thanks for reading and glad to be here!

Stats:
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 167.5
Age: 27
BF%: ~17.5%

Goals:
BW Bench Press
1.5xBW Squat
BW+45lb Pull-ups
2xBW Deadlift
3/4xBW OHP

[Crypticburn]

Week 1 Training:
Day 1 Training:
Squat: 95lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 85lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 7/5/4
Push-ups: 30/17/13
Reverse Crunch: 12/12/12

Day 2 Training:
Squat: 100lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 45lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 135lbs - 5
Pull-ups: 12/8/7
Prone Bridge: 30sec/30sec/30sec

Log:
At these weights, I could barely feel the bar on my back for the squat - but I didn't want to select too large of a weight as I started into this new routine. I was very happy to reach the sets to failure, as they were able to at least wear me out. With my current push-ups, I'm ready to transition to a weighted push-up, but I'm not sure what exact path to go down . In the past, I've tried weighted push-ups with just a plate on my back, and it wasn't overly difficult (25lb plate), but I'm concerned about awkward weights that would require multiple plates (ie. 22.5lbs requires 2x 10lbs and 1x 2.5lb -- 3 plates, a potentially difficult balancing act). I'm not sure what other options are available for the weighted push-up, and specifically low/no-cost options are preferred.

Also, I currently lean on these failure sets to feel "worked-out", which will change with the quick stepping for squat - but I'm concerned I won't mentally like only doing 3x5 or 3x10 with a puny plate (ie. starting with 2.5lbs). If you've made this transition from "to failure" to "weighted sets", what was your experience like?

[Crypticburn]

Week 2 Training:
Day 3 Training:
Squat: 110lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 50lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 145lbs - 5
Pull-ups: 14/9/7
Prone Bridge: 33sec/33sec/33sec

Day 4 Training:
Squat: 125lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 105lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 8/7/6
Push-ups: 30/15/15
Reverse Crunch: 12/12/12

Log:
Missed Friday's workout last week due to traveling to see my Fiance. Since the initial selected weights were incredibly low compared to our previous lifting, my partner and I decided to continue with the scheduled weights and to do a one time bump on the squat and bench - no future 'bumps', and even at these weights, we had to force ourselves to watch the clock to make sure we were giving enough time between the sets.

I made a mistake and completed pull-ups instead of chin-ups. But, I'm pretty close to stepping up to weighted pull-ups, and chances are that my chin-ups will be over 15 and I'll need to look into weighting those as well. Luckily, though, weighted pull-ups and chin-ups seems more straightforward than weighted push-ups.

I'm really enjoying the inverted row - I had never done or seen this exercise before and I'm really liking it. It looks so easy, but it really is quite difficult to complete. I'm quite impressed with how many inverted rows some of you are performing - I can only strive to get to that point!

[Crypticburn]

Week 3 Training:
Day 5 Training:
Squat: 130lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 110lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 10/8/7
Push-ups: 28/13/12
Reverse Crunch: 12/12/12

Day 6 Training:
Squat: 140lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 60lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 165lbs - 5
Chin-ups: 15/10/11 (longer than normal rest between set 2 and set 3)
Prone Bridge: 36sec/36sec/36sec

Day 7 Training:
Squat: 145lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 115lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 10/6/5 (shortened rest time)
Push-ups: 31/14/12
Reverse Crunch: 12/12/12

Log:
Missed Friday's workout last week due to my Fiance visiting me .

The squat is starting to feel like there is a bar on my back and I look forward to where this is going. I'm really enjoying these workouts, they seem a little more focused than my previous routine.

[Crypticburn]

Week 4 Training:
Day 8 Training:
Squat: 150lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 65lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 175lbs - 5
Pull-ups: 15/8/8
Prone Bridge: 39sec/39sec/39sec

Log:
My lifting partner was out of town last Friday and Monday (this workout), and pacing was an issue. I guess I'm more patient when I have someone to talk to - rather than just music to entertain me between sets. Though, my music selection is much superior to some of the stuff they play over the speakers.

I happily hit 15 pull-ups on my first set, and am excited to start doing weighted 3x5. Squats are starting to feel heavy, but I didn't have too much trouble with the set. The overhead press is still seemingly light, and deadlift was a piece of cake.

My lifting buddy will be returning to the gym on Wednesday, and will be a bit behind in the weights, but it'll work out in the end - since I'll be out of town next week due to heading home for an engagement party. So, while he fell behind from being out of town, he'll catch right back up while I'm out of town - so, we'll be back to the same weights until one of us fails... so we can continue motivating each other.

[Crypticburn]

Week 4 Training:
Day 9 Training (A):
Squat: 155lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 9/5/6
Bench: 120lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Reverse Crunch: 13/13/13
Push-ups: 27/25/22

Log:
Had to switch up the order of the exercises for this session, due to all the bench press stations being occupied - so was the power rack that we do Inverted Rows in, but it opened up first. Also, switched crunches and push-ups, so it went pull-push-core-push. Not optimal, since core is used to stabilize in push-ups, but I assume it was better than pull-push-push.

Still need to figure out a way to do weighted push-ups.

[Crypticburn]

Week 4 Training:
Day 10 Training (B):
Weight: 165lbs
Squat: 160lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 70lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 185lbs - 5
Chin-ups (+10lbs): 5/5/11
Prone Bridge: 42sec/42sec/42sec

Log:
First set of weighted chin-ups - decided to do 5/5/f to determine how much extra energy/strength I have. I began with 10lbs since starting with just a 2.5lb plate seemed silly. Even at 10lbs, I didn't notice a large difference in the difficulty, and found I was able to complete 11 in my third set. I plan to use this information to intelligently evaluate how much I should do the next time. I plan to jump to 20lbs when I return from my vacation (3/9-3/13).

[Crypticburn]

Week 6 Training:
Day 11 Training (B):
Squat: 170lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 75lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 195lbs - 5
Chin-ups (+20lbs): 5/5/10
Prone Bridge: 48sec/48sec/48sec

Log:
My chin-ups really suprised me. I decided to jump up to BW+20lbs, since BW+10lbs seemed relatively light the previous workout, and going into my third set, I felt I wasn't going to be able to do more than ~7. I'll probably jump to 25lbs next round of chin-ups.

My squat is now greater than BW, so that's totally exciting, and I don't feel I'll fail for another couple weeks. Overhead press and Deadlift are both seemingly light, though I can see the possibility of overhead press failing before 100lbs (45kg)

[Crypticburn]

Week 6 Training:
Day 12 Training (A):
Squat: 175lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 130lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 9/8/6
Push-ups: (BW+10lb) 10/10/14
Reverse Crunch: 14/14/14

Day 13 Training (B):
Squat: 180lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 80lbs - 5/5/5/5/4 First Miss
Deadlift: 205lbs - 5
Pull-ups:(BW+10lb) 5/5/12
Prone Bridge: 51sec/51sec/51sec

Log:
Had my first failure - Overhead press. I was unable to get that final rep of the final set. I am really anxious to get back into the gym on another B day to give it another shot.

Squats are getting quite heavy, and I expect I may fail before hitting 200lbs, but we'll have to wait and see. The first rep of each set always seems quite easy, the second is usually decent, I sometimes start to waiver on reps three and four, and I usually have to dig deep for rep 5. I liken the feelings to a transition in mindset - similar to my pull-up/chin-ups where the first two sets are 5 reps, and the third set is to failure - I have to have a slightly different mindset for a failure set, and I have to transition my mindset for the final reps in squat.

[Crypticburn]

Week 7 Training:
Day 14 Training (A):
Squat: 185lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 135lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 10/9/7
Push-ups: (BW+15lb) 10/10/17
Reverse Crunch: 15/15/15

Day 15 Training (B):
Squat: 190lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Overhead Press: 80lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 215lbs - 5
Chin-ups:(BW+25lb) 5/5/9
Prone Bridge: 54sec/54sec/54sec

Log:
I was excited to be back in the gym on Wednesday (Day 15), mainly due to failing overhead press last Friday on the final rep of the final set. As I expected, it wasn't much trouble to complete the full set of reps this attempt - but it definitely was nice to redeem myself!

[Crypticburn]

Week 7 Training:
Day 16 Training (A):
Squat: 195lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 140lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 14/10/11
Dips: 15/15/15
Reverse Crunch: 16/16/16

Log:
Switched dips in for push-ups. Since the reason the SL5x5 removed dips was for people experiencing shoulder problems, and I haven't experienced shoulder problems in the past, I have replaced push-ups with dips. I knew 15 dips would not be a problem, and wanted to start with weighted dips, but my lifting buddy talked sense into me, and we started with body weight, and will progress normally.

I was shockingly strong on inverted row. I felt drained after the squats, and had to push hard through bench press, but I just flew through the inverted rows. Either my body is getting used to the motion, or after pushing the rest of my body so hard - pushing my back hard wasn't a problem.

[Crypticburn]

Week 8 Training:
Day 17 Training (B):
Squat: 200lbs - 5/5/4/3/1
Overhead Press: 80lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 215lbs - 5
Pull-ups:(BW+20lb) 5/5/7
Prone Bridge: 57sec/57sec/57sec

Log:
Failed on squats. I didn't feel on top of my game - so hopefully things will turn around next workout.

[Liv92]

Keep working at it bro, your doing good. :]

[Crypticburn]

Keep working at it bro, your doing good. :]

Thanks! Appreciate the motivation, definitely needed it after last workout.

Week 8 Training:
Day 18 Training (A):
Squat: 200lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Bench Press: 145lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Inverted Row: 14/11/12
Dips: (BW+10lbs) 5/5/14
Reverse Crunch: 17/17/17

Log:
I went into this session absolutely tired. My nutrition wasn't off, as I was eating just as I have been, but I was just mentally tired - either from lack of sleep, or just worn down from work. But, as soon as I started those 200lb squats, my body just took over and took vengeance for Monday's failure. I nearly didn't make it on the last rep of the last set, but my lifting partner finally shared a word of incouragement and I dug down and pulled that last rep out.

I was suprised by my bench press, as my lifting partner actually didn't complete this weight, and he's typically stronger than I when it comes to chest exercises.

Overall, it was a suprisingly good workout, considering how I felt entering the gym.

[Crypticburn]

Week 8 Training:
Day 19 Training (B):
Squat: 205lbs - 5/5/5/1/0
Overhead Press: 90lbs - 5/5/5/5/5
Deadlift: 235lbs - 5
Chin-ups:(BW+30lb) 5/5/6
Prone Bridge: 60sec/60sec/60sec

Log:
Failed on squats. I felt a twinge in my left knee, similar to that which I feel when I run. Since I'm unable to run because of this problem with my knee, I immediately stopped squatting and am hoping Wednesday will be better.

My previous entry for a B day did not correctly reflect my lifts - OHP was 85 not 80, and Deadlift was 225 not 215. This log entry should be correct.