ECullen's Training Log

[ecullen]

Hey everybody, a little background story on me: I've been going to the gym for the past two years, doing mostly isolation exercises. I have watched as people I went to high school with getting bigger and bigger while I have only gotten slightly bigger . I think that the only reason I even got slighter bigger in the past 4 years after high school was due to me eating 4-6 times a day rather than eating twice a day like I did in high school.

I came randomly came across StrongLifts.com one day and looked through the Training Logs and found the progress people have made through the Beginner's 5x5 program. I found it a bit intimidating considering that I had never done squats before and never bench pressed with a barbell (I had always used Dumbbells). As of this past Thursday, I decided to try to program out for 12 weeks and see where it takes me.

Age: 22
Height: 5'6
Weight: 147 lbs.
Bodyfat %: I don't know yet but plan to find out within the next couple of days. I'm sure that it might be pretty high.

Supplements
-Multivitamin
-FIsh Oil
-ON Whey Protein Mint Chocolate Flavor (yum yum). I drink 2 scoops a day with 8oz of water; 1 scoop right when I wake up and another scoop immediately after my workout.

Yup pretty simple, I want to be as natural as I can be. I eat lots of grilled chicken, grilled salmon and canned tuna during the week.


Goals:
-Lower my Bodyfat% down to at least 15%. I don't mind staying at the same weight but I do want my bodyfat% lowered.
-Flatter and harder abs. I have a small pot belly which is noticeable when I have my shirt off.
-More muscular and defined triceps and biceps.
-Beef up my forearms, they look like twigs.
-Be able to bench press at least my bodyweight.
-Gain more confidence in my appearance, and live a happier life.

First Stronglift Workout on Thurs Sept 25
Workout A
Squats: 5x5 empty bar (45lbs)
Bench press: 5x5 empty bar (45lbs)
Inverted Rows: 3xF
Push Ups: 3xF
Reverse Crunches: 3x12

Notes:
I felt weird squatting since it was my first time ever. It was also weird squatting an empty bar, but like Medhi said, I have to check my ego at the beginning of this exercise. I tried to stay true to the correct form as shown by Medhi in his YouTube video. I forgot a couple of times about moving my hips back and down first before my knees but after a while I got the hang of it. I also had trouble figuring out how low on my back to put the barbell.

Seeing how I normally didn't do bench presses with a barbell, I found it difficult to perform the presses with correct form. I had trouble figuring out if I was pushing the barbell straight ahead. I used one of the gym mirrors to see if I was actually pressing the bar straight ahead and made mental mark on the ceiling as to where the bar should hit every time I push it up.

I also did the Inverted Rows for the first time ever. I didn't like it as much as a Barbell Row because I get a more burning sensation when I do Barbell Rows. I think next time I will replace Inverted Rows with Barbell Rows, which were originally in the last Stronglifts 5x5 program.

[ecullen]

Tonight, Sat Sept 27
Workout B

Squats: 5x5 (50lbs)
Overhead Presses: 5x5 (50lbs) *I forgot to unload the 5lbs off the Olympic Bar from the previous Squats exercise
Deadlifts: 1x5 (85lbs)
Pull ups/chin ups: 3xF
Prone Bridge: 3x30 sec.

Notes:
I feel that my form for the Squats exercise is getting better as I remembered to move my hips back and down first before my knees as shown by Medhi. I felt kind of goofy have two tiny 2.5lbs plates on the barbell and certainly got some stares. Well again, I have to check my ego at the door when starting this program. Its a marathon, not a sprint.

Before I left home to go workout I found this great Youtube video on Deadlifts instruction by Mark Rippetoe and I feel that my form for this exercise is pretty good.

I had A LOT of trouble on the pull up exercises. I was only able to do 2 pull ups and 3 chin ups in a row, even when doing the kipping pull ups that is suggested by Stronglifts. My first set was 2 pull ups, 2nd set was 2 chin ups, and then 3rd set was 2 pull ups.

Prone bridges look so simple, but they hurt like hell. Great exercise! I was shaking and barely got through the 30 seconds on that last set.

I feel extremely motivated, more than ever, to work out now since I get so excited about adding weights each work out. Hopefully this will be the beginning to greater things for me!

[TheAugustKid]

Awesome job man. You'll be moving big weights real quickly. Don't worry about the low weight right now. In a month you'll be squatting over 100lbs. So you'll know the weights move up quickly. You're at the most important part-- making sure your form is correct. Get that down and you're perfect. Make sure now that you're trying to get down as low as you can on your squat. You'll be doing less weight at first, but in the long run you will get much stronger.

Keep it up!

[Fargalas]

Squats are a really tough exercise, definitely. Technique is paramount for them.

Since we both go to UMD, I could maybe help you with squat technique? Assuming you feel off, in any way. It took me a lot of reading and practice, for sure. I generally work out on M, W, and F, as I've said before. Feel free to reply back on my training log if you're interested.

Oh, and on pull-ups/chins, you can practice those using jumping pull-ups/chins or resistance bands. For the jumpers, just use a box or something equivalent and push yourself off your feet as hard as you need to to get a solid pull-up or chin. The less you use your legs, the better, and eventually you'll be doing them without.

Keep strong! Adding weight's a blast, but it's going to kick your butt one of these days.

[ecullen]

Today was Workout A day. I am still coming along slowly, lifting low weights to learn correct forms and watching Mehdi's Stronglift's YouTube videos over and over again to make sure I have it down.

Workout A
Squats: 5x5 55lbs
Bench press: 5x5 55lbs
Inverted Rows: 3xF
Push Ups: 3xF
Reverse Crunches: 3x12
Dips: 3xF

Notes:

I feel like I am getting correct form down on the squats. Last night I read on StrongLifts' "How to do Squats" page that your wrists are supposed to be straight while holding the bar. I did my first two sets forgetting about straight wrists and didn't notice that my wrists were bent until I was in the middle of my 3rd set.

I went to the gym later than usual today during the busiest hour of 7-8pm. It amazes me how many people do squats incorrectly. This guy doing squats at the power rack next to me loaded up his olympic barbell to 295lbs and was doing quarter squats, barely bending his knees at all.

As you can see, I did dips after my reverse crunches. I only did those dips to see what all the fuss was about about dips, since I've never down them before. I only managed 3 sets of 3 dips before I call it quits for the day.

I'm glad I am just starting off because I have been so mentally and physically tired from exams at school for the past couple of days

[ecullen]

Today was Workout B day.

Workout B
Squats: 5x5 (60lbs)
Overhead Presses: 5x5 (55lbs)
Deadlifts: 4x5 (95lbs) *Yeah, I messed up, more on this below
Pull ups/chin ups: 3xF (BF)
Prone Bridge: 3x30 sec.

Notes
This is the first workout since I've started the StrongLifts 5x5 workout where I actually broke out a sweat, I guess the heavier weights will do that.

I completely forgot that I was only suppose to do 1 set of deadlifts. I didn't realize this until I was done with my 4th set.

My chin ups are still really weak. I was only able to do 3 chin ups per set. I really hope I can improve on this after 12 weeks.

Prone Bridges hurt like hell! I barely got through my third set.

[TheAugustKid]

Haha that sucks man. I hate noticing that I wasn't doing the work out right when I'm about to finish it.

Mine wasn't as bad as that but still. Those deadlifts will be so much easier once you just do 1 set. Right now they'll feel like you arent doing anything. But once you move up in weight in your squats, you'll thank god that that's all you have to do.

So keep it up. You'll be just breaking a sweat right now, soon enough you'll be dizzy and lightheaded after doing squats.

[ecullen]

Workout A
Squats: 5x5 (65lbs)
Bench press: 5x5 (65lbs)
Inverted Rows: 3xF
Push Ups: 3xF
Reverse Crunches: 3x12

Notes:
I'm still using low, easy weights as I try to perfect my form on squats and bench press.

I am thinking about replacing the Inverted Rows with Bent Over Barbell Rows from the original StrongLifts program. I feel like I am doing more work (and building more muscle)when I do the Bent Over Barbell Rows. What is the starting weight for this exercise?

I just randomly remembered that I when I first joined a gym back in the summer of 2006, I couldn't even bench press an empty barbell. Haha I guess doing random isolation exercises for the past two years did make me a little stronger.

The great thing about my gym is usually there is no one working out at the gym's two power racks except for me, even when I've gone during busy hours. Lucky me, I never have to wait to use a power rack

[TheAugustKid]

Yeah I would definitely change to bent over rows. I hate them myself, but you know what they say--do the exercises you hate. But yeah you can just start out with the bar there by itself too. But like the deadlift, it needs to be at a proper height. So you should put it on top of plates and stuff till it feels like a comfortable height for you.

[ecullen]

Workout B
Squats: 5x5 (70lbs)
Overhead Presses: 5x5 (70lbs)
Deadlifts: 1x5 (105lbs)
Pull ups/chin ups: 3xF (BF)
Prone Bridge: 3x30 sec.

Notes:
I think my form is getting better on squats. I think I will pick up the pace and make my squats heavier soon.

I was supposed to do 60lb Overhead Presses today, but I was too lazy to change the plates after my squats so I thought what the hell, I'll just keep the barbell at 70lbs. I didn't have too much trouble with the weight itself, but I wasn't quite sure how far my grips were supposed to be on the barbell. I'll watch Mehdi's youtube video to see where I should grip the barbell on these.

I remembered to do only 1 set of deadlifts this time, haha.

My pull ups still suck. I only managed 3 pull ips on the first set and 2 pull ups on the next two sets. Kinda sucks because back when I was a scrawny 105lbs in high school I was able to do at least 10 easily.

[ecullen]

Workout A
Squats: 5x5 (75lbs)
Bench press: 5x5 (70lbs)
Bent Over Barbell Rows: 5x5 (80lbs)
Push Ups: 3xF
Reverse Crunches: 3x12

Notes:
I finally decided to switch the Inverted Rows to Bent Over Barbell rows this session. I vaguely remembered reading somewhere on this site that the start off weight for barbell rows is 80lbs, which is why I started off with 80lbs instead of just an empty bar. I must say that it was pretty tough doing it with correct form. I need to read back to the article on Stronglifts. On my first set, I kept hitting the barbell on my knees, so I know I wasn't doing it correctly. But I think I did ok on the other 4 sets. Kudos to TheAugustKid for the tip on putting the barbell on plates to get a comfortable height.

[TheAugustKid]

No problem! If 80lbs is too much on the barbell rows then lower it. The whole reason for that was so you can have proper height. But if you've got the plates to cover that, then you can definitely lower it. You shouldn't be higher on barbell rows than your squats right now.

[ewerbos]

Barbell rows are the worst ever... I think I've stopped doing them for Power Cleans for that reason But yeah, unless you've got odd plates, there's not gonna be any difference in height between 65 lbs and 80 lbs, so might as well do the lower weight if the heavier one is too much.

[ecullen]

Workout B
Squats: 5x5 (80lbs)
Overhead Presses: 5x5 (75lbs)
Deadlifts: 1x5 (115lbs)
Pull ups/chin ups: 3xF (BF)
Prone Bridge: 3x30 sec.
HIIT Training for Cardio (Burpees)

Notes:
My diet wasn't too good today. I ate this delicious pork soup that my mom made, but the soup itself is pretty fatty. The soup made me kind of groggy all day. I had an apple with peanut butter an hour before I worked out, hoping that it would give me more energy.

Squats are still very easy for me with the low weight, but I can start feel the Overhead Presses getting heavier. I struggled a little on the very last rep of my 5th set, but I got it up. I guess I shouldn't have added 15lbs to my Overhead Presses the last workout instead of the usual 5lbs out of cockiness .

My chin ups sucked as usual. I was able to get only 3 on the first set, and 2 on the other 2 sets.

Prone bridges are painful as hell

I added Burpees workout for cardio to get rid of the small potbelly that I have. Mehdi suggested to do 5 sets of 10 with a 30 sec rest between every set, but I was exhausted by the 4th set and couldn't finish. I think this may have been because of my crappy diet today and I am pretty confident I can get the 5 sets in the next time I work out .

[ecullen]

I have been incredibly busy with school and exams lately. I am averaging about 2 exams per week and my professors just keeping piling the work on. My diet hasn't been very good either. I'm eating healthy stuff, but I haven't been getting enough protein in my system. I've only been eating 2-3 times a day instead of the 4-6 meals I usually eat.

I missed my regular workout on Tuesday (was supposed to do Workout A). However, seeing that the weights are still very low and easy, I decided to not make up that workout and to just proceed with Workout B on my next scheduled workout day, which was Thursday.

Workout B
Squats: 5x5 (90lbs)
Overhead Presses: 5x5 (80lbs)
Deadlifts: 1x5 (125lbs)
Pull ups/chin ups: 3xF (BF)
Prone Bridge: 3x30 sec.
HIIT Training for Cardio (Burpees)

Notes:
The weights on the squats are still light and easy. I ditched the running shoes I was using before and switched to a pair of Adidas Superstars that were recommended by Mehdi. Lucikly, I had a pair just sitting at home, so I didn't have to spend $50+ on a new pair. I must say that I do feel more stable with the flat soles.

I failed on the very last rep of my Overhead Presses. I'm kind of pissed off because I really do think I could have gotten it up. However, mentally while I was doing the last set, for some reason I kept telling myself in my head that I was too weak to get all 5 reps. Maybe its a lack of confidence problem. Oh well, I guess I'll do the 80lbs again next time I do Workout B.

Funny thing happened- I think I spend almost 5 minutes trying to determine how much weight I had to add to each side of the 45lb barbell so it would equal 125lbs for my deadlift. My math usually isn't that bad. I guess I was just mentally exhausted from all the studying I've had to do for the past couple of weeks.

Pull ups, again, were really tough. I only managed 2 reps on each of my 3 sets. I really need to pick up the pace on this.

Burpees are hell, but I find it a lot more time efficient than running on a treadmill 30 minutes.