Gee's Beginner 5x5 Log - The Return

[drummergee]

Gah, what a week, meant to workout yesterday but whole day went horribly wrong so I'll do a two lift week and roll round to Monday next week.

Morning weigh-in: 188 Ibs

Saturday Workout

Squats

1x5 45 Ibs
1x5 90 Ibs
5x5 130 Ibs

These went up pretty well, seems to be good progress at the moment, which I'm happy about.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 Ibs
1x5 40 Ibs
5x5 60 Ibs

These went up well so hopefully next time I'll blast the 65 Ibs.

Deadlifts

1x5 125 Ibs
1x5 150 Ibs

Well that was hard work, even with the warm up 150 Ibs was v hard and whilst I wasn't unsafe, I'm definitely going up in 5 Ibs increments from now on!

Roll on next week and with organisation, a power rack next Saturday

[drummergee]

Monday Workout

Squats

1x5 45 Ibs
1x5 90 Ibs
5/5/5/5/4 135 Ibs

ARGH! lol, getting taught a lesson today, obviously wasn't paying enough attention to the squat on the last work set as didn't get form exactly right on the first rep and couldn't recover and given my current work out setup was not safe to go after that last rep, will nail on Wednesday.

Barbell Row

1x5 65 Ibs
5/2/... 80 Ibs

So one missed rep followed by a stall, nearly got stuck under the bar and as I'm working out on my own I backed off this and we'll see how this goes on Friday.

Barbell Row

1x5 65 Ibs
5x5 75 Ibs

Victory, I claim victory! Well maybe not but it was nice to hit a PB in the mess that was this workout, roll on Wednesday, a 135 Ibs squat and a reutrn to the dreaded 65 Ibs OHP.

[drummergee]

Well what a week a or so, had an exam, flair up of IBS and total body crash. Pretty much killed my week to Saturday, got new shing power rack delivered and between one thing and another didn't get it fully assembled till Tuesday last night but finally got a workout in and couldn't get on the site!

Still here we go, going metric and so a bit of step down in weight whilst I work things out and get started with the new system.

Tuesday Workout

Squat

1x5 20 kg
1x5 40 kg
5/4/5/5/2 60 kg

Gah! So I managed to throw myself during the second set and couldn't quite work through the last set as never recovered, first time back and these were hard but sure I'll pick them up next time.

Bench Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 30 kg
5x5 35 kg

These were hard but went up nicecly and I was pleased with them.

Barbell Row

5x5 35 kg

I was so wrapped up in the bench that I went straight into the barbell row and for whatever reason, these went really well and felt really good despite not being as large a plate and so being lower. Anyway, hard and might stall soon but un a good way.

Chin up/Pull Up

So one of the benefits of the new rack is my new found abilitly to try chin ups, pull ups and dips. So, first attempt and oh dear, lol, managed to do 5 5 second negative chin ups. Peversely, really enjoyed them but boy I ached although not too bad but certainly I shall be looking forward to doing these properly.

All in all, not too bad a return and can't wait until tomorrow.

[drummergee]

So the end of week 12 and two workout week, better than a one workout week but still not ideal but I'm actually in the office all next week so all should be good from now on. I might even weigh myself next week.

Saturday Workout

Squats

1x5 20 kg
1x5 40 kg
5x5 60 kg

Success! These were hard but beginningto get the hang of the new bar and whilst these felt hard, they went up without stalls although I think form has been changed by working in the rack but not quite sure how.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 kg
5/5/5/5/1 30 kg

Gah, and seated as well due to the rain. There was just nothing left for that last set, not quite sure what happend but sure will hit next week and near my PB (I will convert to metric soon so I know) and I'm sure I'll get there next time, although I said that when I failed at 65 Ibs.

Deadlift

1x5 60 kg
1x5 70 kg

These were hard but once I got my form sorted and shins against bar (ie kicked brain into gear) these went up nicely and will go up in 5 kg jumps for the moment.

Dips

Erm... well I got into the position ok but even partials seemed hard, I will re-read the lessons and although this might sound odd, might lower the dip attachment so I can practise the motion with my feet on the floor to take some of my weight so I can build understanding of the exercise and some strength before going back to trying it with my whole bodyweight.

After the first week of my new equipment, the workouts are feeling pretty brutal but in a good way, like I've worked hard rather than injured and I can see such benefits witht eh chin ups,pull ups and dips if I can get them successfully into my routine.

[drummergee]

Basically, for reasons I won't bore you with my doctor swapped my drugs round and I haven't been right since, hopefully should be getting old drugs that were working great back tonight but essentially had stomach issues, stiff ankles which lead to football causing pain in ankles, knees and lower back. Basically I'm a slowly recovering mess right now. The only good news is that I'm still 186 Ibs so somehow kept weight and I have been doing single reps of negative chin ups/pull ups whenever I'm down to the garage but hopefully will get new drugs this weekend and can get lifting again.

[drummergee]

So basically, it's a week later and I finally feel ok so got my first lift in in four weeks, I backed off quite a bit due to the enforced rest and glad I did as now have that healthy weary that comes from challenging without killing yourself.

Saturday

Squats

1x5 Empty Bar (5 Ibs)
1x5 20kg
1x5 30kg
5x5 40kg

Struggled a little with form in stretches and firt empty bar but quickly picked up with the warm up and work sets, very happy for first session back.

Bench Press

1x5 20kg
5x5 25kg

Barbell Row

5x5 25kg

Pull ups

1x5 negative

These were hard, weakness in my fore arm meant couldn't do more but it's a start and I shall persever.

Overall, it's good to be back baby!

[drummergee]

Gah, so an interesting week, lots of things going on, some stomach issues but getting there slowly, I know it's going to take a while to get everything going but really enjoyed tonight and so hopefully things will settle down and it will go better.

Tuesday Workout

Squats

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 22.5 kg
1x5 32.5 kg
1x5 42.5 kg

These went well, was concentrating on not curving my back at the bottom of the squat, which I think has reared its head due to the lack of workouts and still working 8 hours sat at my desk but with effort this seemed to be ok but did feel a slight pull in my right hip flexor. I also might have slipped in a sixth work set as I wanted to make sure that I had done enough work set after slightly loosing count in the middle.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 kg
5x5 25 kg

These went well, listening to Tool stood outside with my breath frosting in front of me, my warm hat on and lifting weight over my head, what's not to like! I did hit a bit of a wall and struggled to get the last 3 reps of the final set out so that was good.

Deadlift

1x5 50 kg

These went well.

Dips

five maybe, not going well, did feel a little better than last time but can't seem to get the shape right, will keep going and see if as strength increases, some hope of doing one of these increases, will also go back and re-read article.

[drummergee]

So I ended up missing Thursday's lift due to work being a massive pain and running into lifting time. Morning weigh in was 190 Ibs, which is actually the heaviest I remember it being and is showing a touch in the gut but hopefully some consistent lifting will sort.

Saturday Lift

Squats

1x10 Empty Bay (15 Ibs)
1x5 20 kg
1x5 35 kg
5x5 45 kg

I am beginning to find a nice groove with these again, I was concentrating on my lowe back form and it felt a lot better than last time.

Bench Press

1x5 20 kg
5x5 27.5 kg

Barbell Row

5x5 27.5 kg

Chin Ups

1x6 negative

I'll choose to take the increase of one on the harder exercise as a good sign but finding these very hard and sort of operating on faith that it will get better.

[drummergee]

Damn work and other things desperately trying to stop me lifting but managed to work round it and get a session in after dinner.

Tuesday Workout

Squats

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 22.5 kg
1x5 35 kg
5x5 47.5 kg

I found the warm up set hard as my lower back seemed to round when there was no resistance to work against but the work sets felt better although I did feel a slight twinge in my hip flexor, which has been giving me a little grief. I plan on speaking to the boss about ergonomic chairs give that my old chair broke and the spare we had isn't that great, going to see if I can them to spring for a kneeling chair as been doing some research and reckon I can get on that won't cost anymore.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 25 kg
5x5 27.5 kg

A personal best and I blasted through it, managed all the work sets pretty comfortably with just a little trouble with the last couple of reps in the final set, I am very happy with this and definately think that this is in part due to the pull up/chin up/dips efforts that I can feel working my upper body more completely even if I'm not managing full range of motion yet.

Deadlift

1x5 55 kg

These went up ok but I really should warm up sets so I will make sure that I start at 50 kg and work my way up on Saturday.

Dips

4/4/4 - quater motion

So I re-read the article, read some of the posts in the Body weight section of the forums and most importantly, looked at some videos of people doing them and I felt I had a better idea of what I shoulod be trying to do as had a firmer grasp of the motion. This resulted in a real step forward, they only have been quater dips but I felt them all the way round my shoulders and chest, v happy, progress at last.

[JohnAnthny]

You sound busy. Nice work today. Stay consistent and you will get stronger.

[drummergee]

Thanks for the look John, sadly consistent was not the watchword last week. Thursday was a fourteen hour work day with six hours driving. Needless to say, when I got back home past nine, I did not workout but ate, reminded myself what my other half looked like and went to bed. Somehow I managed to go the next three days recovering, doing various odd jobs, feeling guilty about missing workouts and at least managing to stand on scales.

Weigh in: 192 Ibs

Anyway, starting early this week, I am planning to shift my workouts to Sun, Tues & Thurs but this week I just wanted to get started.

Monday Workout

Squat

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 20 kg
1x5 35 kg
5x5 50 kg

Bench Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 25 kg
5x5 30 kg

Barbell Row

5x5 30 kg

Pull Ups

1x10 negatives

I don't have a huge amount to say about these today, a hard but good workout, pull ups were as much a matter of will as getting better bit was glad. I am finding the prone bridges I do after workouts hard, must find something else to work core as mine sucks and I do not get on well with reverse crunches.

[drummergee]

Well... I am trying to take the positive as my work colleague sugested that at least I am managing a work out a week but an average of one is feeling somewhat frustrating, still, hopefully after Christmas things will settle down so onto toady's lift.

Thursday Lift

Squats

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 20 kg
1x5 37.5 kg
5x5 52.5 kg

These went well today once I got the first work set out of the way and I am very happy with that, hopefully some consistency should take me past the previous best without too much trouble.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 25 kg
5x5 30 kg

I am really pleased with the PB in this. | had one pause between rep four and five in the fourth work set but otherwise, went up pretty smoothly although feeling heavy but given this was for a PB and I will very much take that.

Deadlift

1x5 50 kg
1x5 55 kg
1x5 60 kg

So I decided to do some warm up lifts and these paid of nicely, building up my reps without killing my back and as these are one of my favourite lifts, I'm happy to be doing the extra work.

Dips

5/5/5 - quarter motion

so these are very slowly getting there, I'm not sure if quater motion is really the right term and I've not got the form yet but there was more dip than last time and one more rep and I'm taking that....for now. I'll finish this with the notion was mentioned to me recently on a Budhist meditation course, anything worth doing is worth doing badly!

[JohnAnthny]

Funny yet logical quote there.

1 workout a week on average is def a good way of pointing out the positives. Good job seeking positives about your training. Also, glad to hear a sense of hope about the New Year possibly allowing you to do more training.
I cant help but notice your weights are relatively low so I must infer you are prob skinny and havent trained very much with weights before. I could be wrong and please correct me if I am. Even so of course their is nothing wrong with all of these. (being skinny, low weights, lack of training or extended time away, etc.)

EDIT: Are you still 6'3" 186lbs? Found it early in your log. If so Id say relatively skinny.

I sincerely hope if you desire to be stronger that this New Year will allow you train regularly (preferably as prescribed) as I believe and know that doing so in conjunction with eating PLENTY especially after workouts you will see maximum growth and results. You may even be surprised at how quickly some things develop.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.


**Yeah...Ive got some time on my hands. lol
Thanks

[drummergee]

Hi John, thanks for the return visit.

I am up around 192 Ibs now which is the heaviset I've ever been so yeah I do naturally have a skinny frame but I also have some health issues. I know the weights are low but I actually started with ths programme in Nov 2008 but have had several interruptions and ended up rebooting from scratch. The short version of this is that three years ago I started getting IBS symptoms but it took until August of this year to get an official diagnosis. Along the way I have had a battery of medical tests and unfun tube tests and was well below 154 Ibs at one point. I started last Nov, did ok for a while then had a relapse of symptoms, which finally got me diagnosed proplery. I had by that point got ok at managing and was a steady 176 Ibs but I have got better at managing things. Sadly, one of the effects is that I struggle to eat a lot of protein as it upsets my guts so I have to be careful how I eat but I have still put on 16 Ibs since August despite a drug fiasco that cost me a month's training. I'm slowly getting there, which is my watch word, slow progress and will be by next Sunday lifting PBs or better in all lifts if I can keep to schedule, which should be easy as on holiday at the moment.

Sunday Workout

Squats

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 20 kg
1x5 40 kg
1x5 55 kg

These felt heavy but went well, I am now really feeling the benefit of slow progress as the increases feel like harder work but not fighting form and happy that I will go through PB on schedule, this may come back to bite me next week but these felt good.

Bench Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 27.5 kg
5x5 32.5 kg

Again, these went surprisingly well. Again, getting close to PB territory but didn't feel like it particularly so here's hoping I take advantage of holiday rest at the moment.

Barbell Row

5x5 32.5 kg

These felt great, might be that I had the 5 kg plates on or that my hips were a touch lower but these came up really nicely and could feel them working my shoulders. These were my favourite lifts from this session.

Chin Ups

1x12 negative

All in all, a good work out, roll on Tuesday!

[drummergee]

So managed to miss a workout with holiday busyness but got there today, I will get better at this!

Thursday Workout

Squat

1x10 Empty Bar (15 Ibs)
1x5 20 kg
1x5 40 kg
5x5 57.5 kg

These felt heavy today but continued to go up ok so will be interested to hit PB weight on Sunday.

Overhead Press

1x5 20 kg
1x5 27.5 kg
1x5 32.5 kg

These went up surprisingly well, I'm interested to see how these go up.

Deadlift

1x5 50 kg
1x5 60 kg
1x5 65 kg

These were hard but went up ok but did have repercussions.

Dips

4 quarter motion

These were hoprribly hard after dead and PB OHP, I also realised that they are in workout A so I decided to swith and come back to them on Sunday


Chin Ups

10 negatives

These were again hard, I actually did pull ups last workout but will keep and eye on the progress with these.