Gee's Beginner 5x5 Log - The Return

[drummergee]

so, after nearly seven months of mucking about with the NHS, I have a couple of new drugs and IBS to look after as well as the GERD. So, having returned from holiday feeling once more vaguely human I have sorted out the garage and have struck a first blow for returning muscle or at least started throwing things about again so the basic facts at the moment.

Age: 29
Sex: Male
Height: 6ft 3
Weight: 176 Ibs

Right now the aim is just to keep things going regularly, build weight and get back to heavy again but for now just to keep going. Plan is to move workouts to Tues, Thur & Sat as this will fit in better with rest of life at the moment so here goes

Saturday Workout:

As its been six months since I have done anything I am resetting with an empty bar for everything

Squats

5 x 15 Ibs

I started of popping up nicely and was pretty please and thought this was going to be far too easy but half way through the fourth set my legs began to progress and the fith got painful although only in a protest at unfamiliar hard work rather than a pull

Bench Press

5 x 15 Ibs

Now these did go up easily so not much to say.

Barbell Row

5 x 15 Ibs

This time, I did set up a couple of piles of weights to rest the empty bar on and this made these equally as easy as the bench press.


It is very good to be back at it, even if I did struggle back up my flat stairs after the first workout. Right now the most difficult thing is going to be holding myself back and not over doing it too early.

[drummergee]

Tuesday Workout

Squat

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 20 Ibs

Found my form this morning, did some revision reading, got my hands and wrists in the right place, leading to the bar being located at the right place on my shoulders and so these felt good and the weight popped up nicely. A little ache was left in my legs from Saturday but didn't interfere and all went well.

Overhead Press

5 x 15 Ibs

My personal nemesis in these routines, I guess my shoulders are weirdly balanced as bench press not a problem and pulling weights from floor fine but these are like torture and always have been. Still, I knew this and was not backing down hence why I was re-reading exercise guides. Seemed to go ok but believe it or not already uncomfortable. Still will keep persevering and will get there one day with them.

Deadlift

Going from my nemesis to my favourite lift in one session, a nice motivation for me. Always enjoyed these, always been able to lift the most weight doing these whilst still being comfortable and a challenge. Hugely easy going up and if it is the same on Sat I might start jumping these in ten rather than five pound increments but we'll see how things go.


All in all I am very happy but then having restarted from scratch, I was hardly expecting to have any problems at the moment.

[drummergee]

nightmare day, overslept, IBS all day and a mad twitch in my right eye that made working in front of a computer all day huge amounts of fun!

Finally got home and got a chance to lift so here goes.

Thursday Workout

Squats

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 25 Ibs

These went up really nicely, form definitely come back and almost too light but I'm going to try to resist the urge to jump too quickly.

Bench Press

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 20 Ibs

Barbell Row

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 20 Ibs

Both exercises went easily, good workout, just want to keep upping the poundage

[drummergee]

so morning weigh in is 178 Ibs which is a pick up of 2 which is cool. On to the workout

Saturday

Squats

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 30 Ibs

So these went fine as they should do.

Overhead Press

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 20 Ibs

So my nemesis is biting already, in the third set of got a twinge in my left shoulder. Stayed through the final sets, had it happen before

Deadlift

1 x 5 30 Ibs

I know this is a leap of 15 Ibs but after putting my PRs and goals together I couldn't square the idea of my deadlift being less than my squat so I'm going to go up in tens and match till the weight tells me I need to change. Needless to say, this went up easy.


All in all, a good first week, we'll see how next week goes.

[drummergee]

so today has been a never ending series of disasters starting at five in the morning when I knocked over the other half's glass of water sending a tidal wave over the bedside table towards her ipod, alarm clock etc... and continuing with things falling over left, right and center (I am an IT support engineer) whilst the phone won't stop ringing. In fact the only thing to go right so far is the workout so here goes!

Tuesday Workout

Squats

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 30 Ibs

I'm still getting some soreness in my legs but the weight is going up nicely and no locking up in my back whilst I'm stuck at my desk so I'm happy that these are progressing and that getting the bar in the right place is a major step in the right direction.

Bench Press

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 25 Ibs

Barbell Row

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 25 Ibs

Both of these went really well, in fact I have been doing some research into what is causing the problems with the overhead press and I have discovered that I think my grip was too narrow for that and these exercise. Consequently, I widened it for these and the form felt much better doing both exercises and at the end I felt like I had got a much better upper body workout than ever before, even with the lighter weights.

The freaky thing is that since I read up on the overhead press, I have been really excited about getting back to my nemesis lift, I really think I'm going to nail it on Wednesday, till next time!

[drummergee]

Thursday Workout

Squats

It appears I am a complete fool, I wrote up the last set of squats completely wrong, should have been same warm ups as today's and 35 Ibs work sets.

1 x 5 15 Ibs
1 x 5 30 Ibs
5 x 5 40 Ibs

Who knows what I was thinking on Tuesday but went up well again, a little niggle in my left should, which is a hangover from messed up OHPs on Sat but is much better and only nervy sting than actual pain.

Overhead Press

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 25 Ibs

So the much anticipated OHP was pretty much a success. The twinges I mentioned in the squat didn't visit until my fourth work set and the lifts all went ok so definitely the wider grip is helping and this felt like a normal lift at last. I found an interesting shoulder stabilising video in the links section so I shall try to find some time to try these to help with the shoulders but these were definitely the best OHPs in terms of form that I remember.

Deadlift

1 x 40 Ibs

Not at lot to say, favourite lift, going up in tens and going up easy.

Roll on Saturday!

[drummergee]

Morning weigh in: 180 Ibs

Saturday Workout

Squats

1 x 5 15 Ibs
1 x 5 30 Ibs
5 x 5 45 Ibs

Bench Press

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 30 Ibs

Barbell Row

2 x 5 15 Ibs
5 x 5 30 Ibs

All going very well so far, form seems to be ok so roll on next week.

[speedyjoho56]

Hey mate,

Your doing well, keep it up Hope todays workout is smooth for ya

Joe

[drummergee]

so since Sat I went for a run on Sunday and played football on Monday so was a little banged up Tuesday morning and we had a viewing of the flat (trying to sell) that morning so I decided to finish off the tidying and workout that evening after work. Of course then I get caught at work till late, then had to go to the shops with other half to run an errand but finally after long enough from eating I got the workout in last night.

Tuesday Workout

Squats

1 x 20 Ibs
1 x 35 Ibs
5 x 50 Ibs

Warm ups went fine, work sets went well too although I got a little over confident and nearly lost my balance during the fourth work set, the iron giving me a little reminder not to get cocky.

Overhead Press

2 x 15 Ibs
5 x 30 Ibs

These went pretty well too, my shoulder is definitely improving, twinge came back in the third work set but much less than before and weight went up relatively easily so happy again with these and even beginning to enjoy them.

Deadlift

1 x 5 50 Ibs

Not a lot to say about these, went fine.

Over all I'm feeling pretty good, a lot of little aches and pains left over from Monday (didn't help some sod in friendly game clattered me and left we with a lovely AstroTurf graze/burn on my forearm) but hopefully will clear up soon, I might go for a run tonight to loosen some things up.

[rere]

so, after nearly seven months of mucking about with the NHS, I have a couple of new drugs and IBS to look after as well as the GERD. So, having returned from holiday feeling once more vaguely human I have sorted out the garage and have struck a first blow for returning muscle or at least started throwing things about again so the basic facts at the moment.

Welcome back mate, were you ill or something?
Be well and lift safe, i'll keep a look in from time to time.

Peace.

[drummergee]

@Joe Thanks for the look

@rere the short answer is yes, I was ill, GERD is Gastroesophageal reflux disease and means without drugs I get constant indigestion, reflux and nausea and IBS, for me involves crampy discomfort in my abdomen and affects my bowel movements. I finally got to see a gastroenterologist and the worst of this is under control with a combination of drugs and peppermint tea. It still affects what I can eat so I don't drink alcohol anymore and you won't see me eating much red meat so my gains are going to be less but than average I suppose but I'm still managing to get some weight on so hopefully all will be good.

Now on to the workout

Thursday Workout

Squats

1 x 20 Ibs
1 x 40 Ibs
5 x 55 Ibs

I was feeling rough this morning, took time to drag myself out of bed and these started of very hard. My shoulders were achy and the first warm up set I did with a high bar position and then did some shoulder dislocations. This enable me to get the rest done with the bar in the place and whilst I still felt a bit groggy so I concentrated on form. As a consequence I didn't pop these up quite as fast as I would have like but to be honest I was happy to just grind through and get them done.

Bench Press

1 x 15 Ibs
1 x 25 Ibs
1 x 35 Ibs

Barbell Row

1 x 15 Ibs
1 x 25 Ibs
5 x 35 Ibs

Not a lot to say about the bench, Barbell row coming along nicely and on the work sets I actually came up from the floor as now using my 10 Ibs weights.

Minor milestones this and next workout on Sat as I will be halfway to bettering my PBs in every lift and if all goes to plan then in Weeks 7 I should be hitting them across the board depending on if I have any setbacks or not.

[drummergee]

Saturday weigh in: 181 Ibs

not a lot to say other than that I've come down with a head cold but there we go, onto the workout.

Saturday Workout

Squats

1 x 20 Ibs
1 x 40 Ibs
5 x 60 Ibs

Overhead Press

1 x 15 Ibs
1 x 25 Ibs
5 x 35 Ibs

Deadlifts

5 x 60 Ibs

Roll on next week

[drummergee]

Tuesday Workout

Squats

1x5 25 Ibs
1x5 45 Ibs
5x5 65 Ibs

Bench Press

1x5 15 Ibs
1x5 30 Ibs
5x5 40 Ibs

Barbell Row

1x5 15 Ibs
1x5 30 Ibs
5x5 40 Ibs

Weights still going up nicely

[drummergee]

So the last couple of days have been absolutely manic at work, which means I have been welded to desk doing support and so of course, on a day when I was in early and so had to lift after work, my back started giving me gried during the day. Luckily, it is just twitchy rather than properly painful so with care I was able to get through ok this evening.

Thursday Workout

Squats

1x5 25 Ibs
1x5 50 Ibs
5x5 70 Ibs

Overhead Press

1x5 15 Ibs
1x5 30 Ibs
5x5 40 Ibs

I am so pleased with these, a combination of shoulder stabalising exercises done three times a week and a wider grip (ie the right one) meant that I lifted 40 Ibs easily and with no pain at all. I am so happy about these lifts, even more so at the knowledge that this lift should yield my first pb in a few weeks.

Deadlift

1x5 70 Ibs

All went well thanks to paying attention to form, I think I might have a word with the boss about whether I can get a better chair for the office. I do my best about standing when I can to answer calls and getting up regularly to fetch drinks etc but there is only so much I can do with my job being what it is.

[drummergee]

Morning Weigh-in: 185 Ibs

Saturday Workout

Squats

1x5 25 Ibs
1x5 50 Ibs
5x5 75 Ibs

These felt heavy to day bu went up ok, just a little more effort.

Bench Press

1x5 15 Ibs
1x5 30 Ibs
5x5 45 Ibs

Barbell Row

5x5 45 Ibs

I dropped the warm up sets as I felt fine and warm after the bench press so decided to go straight to the work sets.