Envy

[Motivation]

This is my current training log. I figured that this might give you all a better idea. Within about 3 days it'll be game over and I will start a new routine. I figured if I take heat it might as well be for something up to date. ; )

DAY ONE
This is my current training log. The one you looked at was not recent. Read this, then roast me if you so choose.

Pull Ups, 2 sets, began at 8, 2. Ended at 11, 4.

Dips, 2 sets, began at 4, 6. Ended at 13, 8.

Lat Pulldowns, 3 sets, began at 130lbs at 8 reps, ended at 150lbs at 8 reps per

Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 sets per, began at 45lbs at 8 reps per, ended at 55lbs at 8 reps per

Close grip row, 3 set, began at 120lbs at 8 reps per, ended at 140lbs at 8 reps per

Vertical press, 3 sets, began at 155lbs at 8 reps per, ended at 205lbs at 8 reps per

High Row, 3 sets, began at 70lbs at 8 reps per, ended at 80lbs at 8 reps per

Side Towers, 3 sets, began at 70lbs at 8 reps per ended due to shoulder discomfort/pain at 80lbs at 8 reps per

Alternate Single Arm Pulldowns w/ twist, 3 sets, began at 50lbs at 8 reps, ended at 80lbs at 8 reps per

Alternate underside flyes, 3 sets, began at 35lbs at 8 reps per, ended at 40lbs at 8 reps per


DAY TWO
Shoulder press behind head, 2 sets, began at 70lbs at 8 reps, ended at 110lbs at 8 reps

Dumbbell Shoulder press, 2 sets, began at 30lbs at 8 reps, ended at 45lbs at 8 reps

Arnold Presses, 3 sets, began at 25lbs at 8 reps, ended at 40lbs at 8 reps

Leg Press, 4 sets of 22-11’s, began at 140lbs/230lbs at 22/11 reps, ended at 250lbs/340lbs at 22/11 reps

DAY THREE
Close Grip Bench Press, 2 sets 22-11’s, began at 50lbs/60lbs at 22/11 reps, ended at 80lbs/90lbs at 8 reps per

Barbell curls, 2 sets of 22-11’s, began at bar/10lbs at 22/11 reps, ended at 20lbs/25lbs at 22/11 reps

Overhead Rope Tricep Extensions, 3 sets, began at 90lbs at 12 reps, ended at 120lbs at 12 reps per

Incline Dumbbell Curls, 3 sets, began at 25lbs at 12 reps per, ended at 35lbs at 12 reps per

Single arm reverse grip pull down, 3 sets, began at 25lbs at 12 reps per, ended at 40lbs at 12 reps per

Single Arm Concentration Curls, 3 sets, began at 25lbs at 12 reps per, ended at 35lbs at 12 reps per

[Motivation]

My diet: 5:15am I start my day with either a protein shake (skim milk) or a bowl of total cinnamon crunch (skim as well)
8am: 1 string cheese

10am: 1 Light and fit yogurt

11:30am: 1 smoked turkey sandwich on wheat pita with 2 pieces swiss cheese, 1 light and fit yogurt, 1 string cheese, 6 wheat crackers

2pm: Either a yogurt or a string cheese.

3pm: Workout

4:45: Protein shake, 1 bowl FF cottage cheese, and either the same type sandwich I eat for lunch or some chicken

6pm-8/9pm: School I drink water throughout class

8pm/9pm: I will eat either a bowl of cottage cheese or another protein shake or 4-5 slices of swiss cheese.

THEN I SLEEP AND REPEAT.

[Rugger]

Yeah, your program sucks, both the one you just posted and the one on your livejournal. I really hope I've impressed upon you how badly they suck, and I don't even want to go into why, because they are just so inherently flawed. Please, read some of the FAQs or the stronglifts.com blog or something.

It also doesn't look like you're eating enough either.

Fix both of these things, you'll make progress, and you won't have to worry about being envious of your friend.

[GeofT]

I think your diet is insufficient. Try punching it into Fitday.com (free) and see how much protein and calories you're getting. A bowl of cereal and some processed cheese for breakfast will not build you any muscle.

[KIB]

There are lots of reasons to change up one's program, Motiv. Even though it may not be what you had in mind when you started this thread, it may be the right thing at the right time for you. You probably have already, but why not take a look through the forum here and look for logs that have more than 10 pages to them. Check out the first couple of entries and the last couple and see what the differences/gains are for whoever is logging.

On the subject of envy, it is impossible to ignore completely. It's a part of what makes us human. The choice of what you DO with that feeling and your awareness of it, however, is what makes you either better or worse. Sounds like you're on the right track already, just by posting your feelings here for discussion instead of venting to your challenging friend.

[mjh]

you seem to expect to get "roasted" for your routine, so it's clear you know how it doesn't quite fit with the philosophy here. But like KIB said, well done on baring all and putting it out there, and for looking into different ways of training.

In many ways, sl5x5 takes a "less is more" approach. Only a few compound exercises, done with increasingly more challenging weight, will provide more benefit to a beginner than all those isolation movements. Your program also lacks the foundations of any good program, squats and deadlifts. Bicep curls are actually less effective for getting big arms than are deadlifts and squats combined with a whole lot of food. That's how Arnold, Ronnie and many other built their bodies.

[eLvarouza]

Your friend is not eating 500 kcal/day. That's literally less than a quart of whole milk (and 2% milk actually). If he's a heavy drinker you can be assured he's getting more than 500kcal/day. One light beer has 100kcal or so. Hell one shot has around 80kcal.

Aside from your training program, you must eat more to make gains. Muscle isn't built in the gym. Here's a quick fix: replace skim milk with whole milk. Skim milk has 80kcal/cup, 1280kcal/gal. Whole milk has 150kcal/cup, 2400kcal/gal. If you're serious about gaining mass you'll be serious about eating. Add one gallon of whole milk to your diet, do a decent program, and you'll make good gains.

Envy is a terrible thing! It's especially hard as a woman, when all the guys around you are lifting way more. I had a kind of disheartening day in the gym the other day, struggling and failing to make my reps at the squat at 150 lbs, where all the guys were oohing and aahing at a new guy who walked in (to the weightlifting club I attend) for the first time and was squatting 225 lbs ATG for like 9 reps (at 170 lbs bodyweight). Now, he was probably doing some kind of lifting before that, not a newbie, and there are more impressive guys than that (here, even) but I'll confess I was envious as hell. Someday...

I'd be much more impressed with the woman doing squats frankly. I never see girls at my uni gym go near any weights that aren't the 5lb dumbbells or the ridiculous abductor/adductor machines.

[JollyClaws]

the ridiculous abductor/adductor machines.

Is that what it's called? I thought it was called the "bad girl/good girl" machine.

[ajqattan]

the ridiculous abductor/adductor machines.

Is that what it's called? I thought it was called the "bad girl/good girl" machine.

LOL

[sumoboy]

the ridiculous abductor/adductor machines.

Is that what it's called? I thought it was called the "bad girl/good girl" machine.

LOL

Wow. I don't mean to keep this thread off topic, but I just had to say that this made me spit granola at my monitor from LOLing. Wow. hahaahaha

[Rugger]

the ridiculous abductor/adductor machines.

Is that what it's called? I thought it was called the "bad girl/good girl" machine.

Hahahaha, wow, that's a good one. I guess it's a pretty universal phenomenon for women to gravitate towards that machine.

[leenwebb]

Yeah, just like how it's a pretty universal phenomenon for women to get unrealistic body image ideals from all the stupid fitness magazines in the world. You do realize it's the same thing, right?

[Rugger]

Yeah, just like how it's a pretty universal phenomenon for women to get unrealistic body image ideals from all the stupid fitness magazines in the world. You do realize it's the same thing, right?

Your point? If they want to live up to that unrealistic body image, then the ad/abductor machine isn't the way to go about it. If I'm going to make fun of guys doing nothing but curls and swiss ball crunches, then it would be sexist of me to not do the same with women that do nothing but walk on the treadmill and blast their adductors on that stupid machine.

[leenwebb]

I'm not going to bother to unpack the entire patriarchy for you. It just bums me out -- I get alot of sexist shit at the gym, what with gross comments and leering and jokes. I had thought that this community might be a little more aware, since so many of us spend our time fighting against dumb gym advice and so many of the men here are dealing with their own (generally skinny-based) image issues.

Making fun of women for using the goofy machine = A-OK. The part that bugs me is the whole "bad girl/good girl" shit, as if the women working out in a public space are there only for your sexual pleasure.

[ewerbos]

I don't think that was the point; I think that the perception of the adductor/abductor machines is that girls use them because they want to be perceived sexually, because the motion is kind of sexual. This is probably not true in many cases; before I figured out about strength training, I used them (following squats, lunges, etc) because I thought I was supposed to have a "leg" day with lots of "leg" exercises. Girls probably use them because they feel their inner thighs are flabby and they want to "target" (!!!) that area.

But I guess you'd say thinking a girl wants sexual attention for using such machines is the same as thinking she wants it for wearing short skirts?