Doo's Intermediate Training Log II

[Doo]

I started StrongLifts 5x5 in January 2008. Around the end of June 2008, I started my first intermediate program called Maximum Strength. My signature contains links to my logs for these programs.

This log continues where I left off. I will start logging several different intermediate programs that I will be doing over the next year or so. My current stats will be maintained in my Gyminee log.

[Doo]

I decided to try StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced for my next intermediate program. I will do the bench press version at first mainly for proportional (yes, bodybuilding) reasons rather the need to increase bench strength. I can bench 90% of what I can squat but note that I also like to squat ATG otherwise my max squat is quite a bit higher for just below parallel. Going forward, I plan on only considering deep squats for PRs. If I do partial squats, they will only be working with sticking points.

I will start this coming Monday but Imanaged to do a couple of StrongLifts 5x5 inspired workouts earlier this week. First workout was after I was recovering from lower back pain and second was after back pain was completely gone.

Monday, November 10, 2008

• Squat - 5x5x165lb
• Bench Press [PR attempt - not 5x5] - 1x225lb/1x245lb PR/2x205lb
• Barbell Row - 5x5x135lb
• Dips - 3x5x240lb (BW=190)
• Power Clean [practice] - 1x45lb/3x95lb

Friday, November 14, 2008

• Squat - 4x5x245lb
• Seated Press - 3x5x115lb/1x3x115lb/1x5x115lb
• Deadlift - 1x4x295lb PR
• Pull-Ups - 1x1x215lb/1x3x190lb (BW=190)
• Dragon Flags - 1x6x190lb
• Kneeling Ab Wheel Rollouts - 2x8

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x196lb
• Bench Press - 5x132lb/5x143lb/5x153lb/5x165lb/5x175lb
• Power Clean - 5x73lb/5x79lb/5x84lb/5x90lb/5x96lb
• Weighted Dips - 5x202lb/5x214lb/5x226lb (BW=190lb)

Made use of my fractional plates but may just go back to 5lb increments for convenience...until I get close to PRs. I really like the Power Clean. Didn't have technique down enough for it so starting weight is low as I practice.

[Doo]

Wednesday I will be doing Squat/Overhead Press/Deadlifts/Weighted Pull-Ups. However, I plan on making a minor substitition and do Weighted Rope Pull-Ups. Note sure how much weight I can do with that but I will start with the weight I would have used for traditional pull-ups and adjust accordingly. This should be great for working grip strength. I added a couple of hooks to the ceiling so I can now do the rope pull-ups without draping the rope over my chin-up/pull-up bar which saves some setup time. If...uhh...when, I get a lot stronger I will need to abandon the hooks and go back to the bar. I'll have to google the capacity of these hooks.

*** UPDATE ***

I better try some better hooks or go back to the chin-up/pull-up bar. The hooks I am using are bicycle hooks rated at 25lb each. Seems to work ok with just my 190lb weight but I shouldn't push it especially since I will be adding weight.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x176lb
• Overhead Press - 5x5x85lb
• Deadlift - 5x5x212lb
• Weighted Pull-ups - 1x4x(190lb+11lb)
• Rope Pull-ups - 2x3x190lb

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x161lb/5x174.5lb/5x187lb/5x199.5lb/5x215lb
• Bench Press - 5x5x161lb
• Power Clean - 5x5x212lb
• Turkish Get-ups - 5x12lb/5x24lb
• Dragon Flags - 8

Only did two of the three sets of Turkish Get-ups. Still need more practice. Should have just done a third set with same weight. Decided to at least throw in a set of dragon flags.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x221lb
• Bench Press - 5x149lb/5x161lb/5x173lb/5x185lb/5x196lb
• Power Cleans - 5x82lb/5x89lb/5x95lb/5x102lb/5x108lb
• Weighted Dips - 5x(190lb+13lb)/5x(190lb+27lb)/5x(190lb+41lb)
• Dragon Flags - 8
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x8lb/8x10lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x8lb/8x10.5lb/8x12lb

Planning on doing dragon flags and forearm work after StrongLifts. May do some calf work also but not today.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x194lb
• Seated Press - 5x5x96lb
• Deadlifts - 5x5x238lb
• Weighted Pull-ups - 4x(190lb+12lb)/4x(190lb+0lb)
• Rope Pull-ups - 3x(190lb+0lb)
• Dragon Flags - 8/8
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x8lb/8x9lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x11lb/8x12lb/8x13lb
• Lying Lever Lift to Side - 8x8lb

Warm-up sets for Seated Press were cleaned while work sets were done from the rack. 5x5 Deadlifts are tough. Weighted Pull-ups were tough after the press and deadlift work. Threw in a Rope Pull-Up set.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x185lb/5x197lb/5x211lb/5x226lb/5x240lb PR
• Bench Press - 1x250lb/5x5x181lb
• Power Clean - 5x5x100lb PR
• Turkish Get-ups - 5x13lb/5x41lb
• Standing Calf Raises - 3x8x195lb

I am considering 5x240 ATG squat to be a PR as compared to my 5x280lb (1.5XBW+10) barely parallel squat when I stopped with StrongLifts 5x5 for beginners. Changed the plan for bench press and went for a 1RM PR so that I could participate in a Gyminee Challenge. Afterwards, I went ahead and completed 5x5. Power Clean is a PR at 5x100lb and my earlier post of 5x212lb is a typo. It was 5x89lb (212 was supposed to be the weight for the last squat set). Could only do 2 sets of Turkish Get-ups. Those were tough! Did them pretty quick though.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x245lb
• Bench Press - 5x175lb/5x189lb/5x202lb/5x216lb/2x230lb
• Power Cleans - 5x91lb/5x98lb/5x106lb/5x115lb/5x120lb PR
• Weighted Dips - 5x(190lb+15lb)/5x(190lb+30lb)/5x(190lb+45lb)
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 2x8x13lb
• Wrist Curls (Palms Up) - 2x12x35lb

Couldn't make the 5x5x230lb Bench Press.

[Doo]

• Squat - 5x5x215lb ATG
• Seated Press - 5x5x110lb
• Deadlifts - 5x5x265lb PR
• Weighted Pull-ups - 5x(193lb+4.5lb)/5x(193lb+1.5lb)/5x(193lb+1.5lb)
• Dragon Flags - 8/8/8
• Standing Calf Raises - 3x12x200lb
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x3.5lb/8x5.5lb/8x7.5lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x7.5lb/8x12.5lb/8x13.5lb

[Doo]

Well, if anyone has been following my progress, you would know that I always plan ahead for the next program. I have recently decided to alternate Texas Method/Bill Starr intermediate routines with split routines. So far I have done StrongLifts 5x5 Beginner followed by Maximum Strength by Eric Cressey followed by StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced which is my current program.

I think next I will try Men's Health Power Training. Wife has a 25% off Borders coupon and just picked it up for $15 after the discount (which is still a little more than Amazon.com). From what I have read, the actual contents of the program depend upon your objectives. I think I am ready to design my own program. I think this program has some band work, if not then maybe I will go ahead and repeat SL5x5Adv with some modifications to use resistance bands and come back to this later. Why do I want to do band work? Because I just bought them and want to use them.

[Doo]

• Squat (ATG) - 5x201lb/5x217lb/5x235lb/4x240lb/2x250lb
• Bench Press - 3x5x215lb/1x4x215lb/1x5x215lb
• Power Clean - 5x5x115lb PR
• Back Extensions - 8x(BW+10lb)/8x(BW+20lb)/3x(BW+25lb)
• Standing Calf Raises - 3x8x205lb
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x4.5lb/8x6.5lb/4x8.5lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x8.5lb/8x14lb/8x14.5lb

Missed reps on the last sets of the Squat. Just didn't feel as strong as Monday. Missed a rep on the bench press but took a little longer rest and managed 5 reps on the last set. Substituted the Back Extensions instead of Turkish Getups.

[Doo]

• Squat - 4x257lb/3x257lb/3x5x235lb ATG
• Bench Press - 5x186lb/5x201lb/5x216lb/2x230lb/4x215lb
• Power Clean - 5x96lb/5x103lb/5x111lb/5x118lb/5x136lb PR
• Weighted Dips - 5x210lb/5x225lb/5x240lb (BW=190lb)
• Standing Calf Raises - 3x12x215lb
• Dragon Flags - 8
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 3x8x8.5lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 3x8x15lb

Couldn't do 5x5x257lb squat. Dropped to 235lb on last three sets. Couldn't make the 230lb and 245lb Bench Press on 4th and 5th sets. Dropped weight on 5th Bench Press set to 215lb and still only made 4. I didn't eat well over the weekend and maybe I didn't gwet enough sleep. Suppose I made up for a bad start by getting a PR on the Power Clean and even then it was by accident. Loaded the bar with 136lb instead of 126lb on last set.

[Doo]

• Squat - 1x4x220lb/4x5x220lb
• Seated Press - 5x5x116lb PR
• Deadlifts - 1x4x278lb/4x5x278lb PR
• Weighted Pull-ups - 1x193lb/3x(193lb+4.5lb)
• Rope Pull-ups - 3x5x193lb
• Dragon Flags - 8/8

Should have done 5x5 on the Deadlift. Didn't used mixed grip on the first set and only got 4 reps. Still a PR though. Seated Press is a PR for 5x5. Didn't have enough in me for the pull-ups but switched to rope pull-ups and managed to do 3x5.