Dansizemore's Training Log

[dansizemore]

Stats:
Age: 27
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 224lbs (102kg)

Decided it was about time I start a log. Today was my fourth workout following SL 5x5. I decided to start with an empty bar as oft suggested. I used to do a little lifting in high school, but nothing serious. I figured now would be a good time to work on good form, rather than regret it later.

My goal is to just get stronger. I don't have any specific goals other than that for the moment. I could certainly stand to lose some weight, but for the moment that's a distant second.

I just bought a house and finally had room for a home gym. I started researching bowflex's originally, but when I tried one at the store I found it very disappointing. I did a little bit more research, and fortunately stumbled upon this site. My wife (ksizemore) and I started last week, and we're both having a lot of fun.

Here are the stats for my first workouts:

Day 1
Squat: 44lbs (5x5)
Bench Press: 44lbs (5x5)
Inverted Row: 6, 4, 4
Push-ups: 30, 10, 8 (My form was pretty poor on that first set)
Reverse Crunch: 12, 12, 12

Day 2
Squat: 49lbs (5x5)
Overhead Press: 44lbs (5x5)
Deadlift: 94lbs (1x5)
Chin-ups: 3, 2, 2
Prone Bridges: 3x30s

Day 3
Squat: 54lbs (5x5)
Bench Press: 49lbs (5x5)
Inverted Row: 8, 7, 7
Push-ups: 15, 10, 10
Reverse Crunch: 12, 12, 12

Day 4 (Today):
Squat: 49lbs (5x5)
Overhead Press: 44lbs (5x5)
Deadlift: 99lbs (1x5)
Chin-ups: 4, 2, 2
Prone Bridges: 3x30s

So far I've really enjoyed my workouts. I still feel like I have a long way to go on form, but I'm making little adjustments each workout.

[dansizemore]

Today's work-out:

Squat: 64lbs (5x5) (Last workouts should have read 54lbs)
Bench Press: 54 (5x5)
Inverted Row: 10, 8, 5
Push-up: 20, 14, 7
Reverse Crunch: 3x12

Today was my weekly workout with the wife (we workout at different times on Mon/Wed due to work). We were a bit grumpy at first but the workout helped! I'm still concerned about my form, and it helped that we could correct each other as best as we could see (even if it caused a little added grumpiness). Bench still feels too easy, but I'm sure that will change down the road. I'm having hard time doing the Reverse crunches with anything resembling good form due to my gut getting in the way of my legs, so I have to do them with my knees separated.

Overall though, a pretty good workout with the Mrs., I'm looking forward to Monday's workout!

[ksizemore]

Danny, I know you have trouble with the reverse crunches, but you're a trooper and have been persisting with them well! I think doing push-ups next to you really helps me push myself to do more than I normally would on my own. Otherwise I think I'm slower and think about it too much.

It's fun having a workout partner! And the homegym in the basement makes it so simple to just go down and do the workout quickly and then get on with my day - that I don't find myself trying to make excuses, which is great!

[dansizemore]

Danny, I know you have trouble with the reverse crunches, but you're a trooper and have been persisting with them well! I think doing push-ups next to you really helps me push myself to do more than I normally would on my own. Otherwise I think I'm slower and think about it too much.

It's fun having a workout partner! And the homegym in the basement makes it so simple to just go down and do the workout quickly and then get on with my day - that I don't find myself trying to make excuses, which is great!

Thanks babe

Now for today's workout:

Squats: 70lbs (5x5)
OHP: 50lbs (5x5)
Deadlift: 105lbs (1x5)
Pull-ups: 2, 1, 1
Prone bridges: 3x30s

I significantly reduced my rest time today. Sometimes taking as little as 15 seconds between sets. Got through the workout much quicker because of this, and it felt a bit more challenging. The pull-up bar on my power rack angles down and I don't like that grip much but grabbing the bar at the same place I do for chin-ups is too narrow. I've seen plans for adding a straight bar to my particular rack, so maybe I'll give that a shot.

Today was a quick enjoyable workout!

[pagangoddess]

it helped that we could correct each other as best as we could see (even if it caused a little added grumpiness).

Hubby and I are the same way. Whenever we go to the gym together we go our separate ways. He can't stand it when I try to correct his form.

Welcome to the forum.

[dansizemore]

Thanks pagangoddess!

---

Wednesday:
Squat: 75lbs (5x5)
Bench Press: 60lbs (5x5)
Inverted Row: 12, 8, 6
Pushups: 20, 15, 12
Reverse crunch: 3x12

I worked out last wednesday but never got around to posting in my log. That workout started a bit late so I did the assistance exercises when I got home from work. Katrina and I missed our Friday workout as I waited for her to get off of work, and then we ended up being to busy with yard work.

Monday:
Squat: 80lbs (5x5)
OHP: 60 lbs (5x5)
Deadlift: 115lbs (1x5)
Chin-ups: 3, 3, 2
Prone Bridges: 3x30s

This was a fairly uneventful workout. Although I've really started to feel like I'm making big progress with my form on the squats. I think I finally figured out what I need to do with my hips for good hip drive and really felt the difference in my hamstrings. I also kinda cheated and bumped my deadlift up 10lbs instead of this workout, to get up to the 35lbs plates as it puts the bar higher off the ground. I keep finding myself wanting to raise all my lifts by 10lbs instead of 5lbs as I'm getting bored with the low weight, and switch back to 5lbs when I start to get stalls. The only thing that stops me is knowing I could probably use more work with form.

[dansizemore]

Wednesday 20090422

Squat: 85lbs (5x5)
Bench: 65lbs (5x5)
Inv. Row: 13, 8, 7
Push-ups: 18, 10, 8
Reverse Crunch: 3x12

Squats felt pretty good today. I did the bench with something like 5-10 second rest, as the weight still feels a bit trivial. I did end up feeling it in my push-ups though .

Rows felt pretty good, and the reverse crunches sucked as usual. I had no problem completing them, but still have a lot of form problems, so I do them with my knees spread. I'm considering swapping them out for another exercise.

With the short rest period today on my squats and bench, today turned out to be a fairly intense work out.

[dansizemore]

Friday 20090424:

Squat: 90lbs/40.8 kg (5x5)
OHP: 65lbs/29.5 kg (5x5)
Deadlift: 140lbs/63.5 kg (1x5)
Pull-ups: 3,2,2
Prone Bridges: 3x30s

My left knee felt a bit off during my last set of squats today. Nothing too bad, and was fine the rest of the workout, so I'll just keep an eye on form and see from there. Did OHP with fairly short rest periods, so felt that a bit. Had longer rest than usual for most of the other exercises as today was the workout day I share with my wife; we're on different weights for the OHP.

I read somewhere on this forum that we're supposed to go up 10lbs each deadlift workout, so I calculated what I should be up and went up. Wasn't too bad, so I think I'll start adding 10lbs per workout from there. I really felt it in my glutes. Was a little rough for Katrina (she had started lower than I to begin with), but she was able to get her 5. Found a better way to space my hands on my door frame pull-up bar, so pull-ups felt a bit better.