Groundskeeperwillie's training log

[groundskeeperwillie]

OK, so here goes. Male, 43 years old, 6' 2", 95kgs (209lbs) and approx. 15%BF (measured with a caliper). I did some weight training when I was in my mid twentys, mainly to put on some muscle after a stomach operation. What with muscle wastage and the fact while in hospital I could only have water for 2 weeks, I ended up weighing about 72kgs (159). I added about 20kgs (44lbs) but after a while I gradually stopped training and steadily put on weight until about 5 years ago when I gave up smoking.

After about 18 months of not smoking, I didn't feel much different, apart from not smoking! so I started going to the local fitness center with a colleague from work. 30 miniute sessions at lunch time to begin with (all cardio), but we both wanted more so we ended up going in the morning before work, 5 days a week for anything up to an hour and a quarter. This resulted in a weight loss of about 25kgs (55lbs) which put me at a BW of 83 kgs (183lbs). This went on until about November last year when I decided I was just a bit too skinny and wanted to get a bigger. I came across 5 x 5 via another forum and have been on it since the beginning of December. I started right from the begining with 20 kg squats etc and made sure to learn good form on all the exercises, the only one I didn't 'gel' with was Inverted Rows so I changed them for Bent-over rows.

Which brings us right up to date. I have reached a point in the program where the weights are starting to get heavy (for me anyway), so I have started to fail on one or two. My current stats are:

Squats: 80kg (176) 5,5,5,5,5
OHP: 42.5kg (93.5) 4,4,4,4,3
Deadlift: 95kg (209lbs) 5
Bench Press: 50 (110lbs) 5,5,5,5,5
Ben-over row: 40 (88lbs) 5,5,5,5,5
Push-up: BW+15kg (33lbs) 5,5,5
Chins: BW 10,6,6
Pull-ups: BW 3,3,3
Prone Bridges: 3 x 30 secs
Reverse Crunch: 3 x 12

gkw

[groundskeeperwillie]

Additional. I train first thing in the morning, on M,W,F. Up at 4.45 and feed the cats! Then straight to it in my garage home gym. I do squat stretches and warm-up sets of squats starting with 20kgs (my bar is not an Olympic one and 20kgs is the equivalent of an empty Olympic bar). I have tried working out after work, and I didn't feel like I had anymore energy than in the morning, but it's a lot harder to motivate myself to do it. I prefer first thing in the morning as it also leaves evenings free, and with summer approaching (and hopefully some nice weather!), there will be rides out on the motorbike.


On Tuesdays and Thursdays I still go to the fitness center and do 30 to 40 mins on the Cross-trainer (eliptical) using an interval program. 30 mins nets me about 550 cals according to the machine read-out. I prefer the cross-trainer to jogging on the treadmill as it's low impact, but I do walk on the treadmill occasionally and use a 'hill' program to add a bit of an HIIT edge.

gkw

[BLUEBLAH]

Do you go out riding round the Peaks, must be nice? Good weights willie!

[groundskeeperwillie]

Cheers BLUE I do some riding in the peaks, but you have to watch out for John Q Law!

[groundskeeperwillie]

Workout B
Squat: 80kg 5,5,5,5,5
OHP: 42.5kg 5,5,3,0,0
DL: 100kg 1 x 5
PU: BW 4,4,3
PB: 3 x 30 secs

I didn't increase the weight on the squats for this as I was worried I would struggle. Turns out I got through them OK and they were no harder than last time, therefore the weight goes up 2.5kg next time.
Over-head press officially sucks I hate them My form also sucks on OHP so that could be the reason I hate them! The last two sets were not even attempted this morning because I hurt my neck and didn't want to do more damage. My neck now hurts when I move my head (feels muscular) especially when I tip my head back. I've got a feeling that because my form is bad with these that's what's caused the problem and I am dropping them until my neck is OK again. I will then deload to 35kgs and resume them but work on my form, in the meantime I will watch the Rippertoe and Squat Rx videos for more advice.

Question : Is dropping OHP temporarily the best thing or would I be better dropping the weight right down and pushing through, or should I substitute them for another exercise? Dumbell Presses maybe?

Ouch
gkw

[silentbob]

How many times have you stalled on the OHP? I managed to get mine only on the 3rd attempt. I also realised that I was pushing too far away from my face / nose - now I concentrate on pushing the bar just past the end of my nose and it seems to have really helped.

Whereabouts in Derbyshire are you, btw? I was living just outside Burton before I came to the sand-pit I currently inhabit

[guru]

Hey gkw,

Congratulations first on starting a log & second on the nice numbers.

The OHP is a beast. I got to 32.5 kg, (mind you, I'm only 160 cm & 59 kg) was looking to go to 35 & it eluded me completely. I had to deload to 25 kg & work back. That said, I still love it. Don't substitute with dumbbell presses because the mechanics are entirely different.

Deload to whatever feels just hard & work back up. Refer to Vlad's log. Squeezing glutes & abs should help you nail them.

Good luck. Push the weights up...& up.

[groundskeeperwillie]

Hey Bob
This is the third time I've not made 5 x 5 on OHP, so a deload is on the cards anyway. I'm just a bit p****d about the neck ache . I think I've got my head tilted too far back while pressing the weight up and that's what's caused the injury.

I'm in Chesterfield which is about an hour away from Swad. I've been there a few times to the Rifle club.

@guru

Thanks for the support and the advice guru. I will indeed check Vlad's log and slug my way through it.

[groundskeeperwillie]

Went to the fitness centre today and did 30+5 mins on the cross trainer. Yesterday I didn't think I'd make it with the pain I had in my neck but today I feel much better. I'm still taking Aspirin/Paracetamol every 4 hours to ease the pain but basically I'm OK. Workout A tomorrow so no OHP but my shoulders are a little tender in the area where the bar sits for squats so I will see how it goes.

gkw

[KIB]

Great stuff, GKW, and awesome avatar pic
Sorry to hear about the sore neck. You have a foam roller or tennis ball handy? Lots of advice on this forum about pressure points. Basically, press it in where it gives "muscle" pain, not "injury" pain.
And look around the forum at all the hate heaped on the OHP. It's no-one's baby, that lift. Keep up the good work, man!

[groundskeeperwillie]

Workout A
Squat: 82.5kg 5,5,5,0,0
Bench: 52.5kg 5,5,5,5,5
BOR: 42.5: 5,5,5,5,5
PU: BW+17.5kgs 5,5,3
RC: 3 x 12
Well, as can be seen from the results above, squats didn't go as planned . On the 5th rep of the 3rd set I felt a 'twinge' in my lower back as I came up out of the hole. For the 4th set I took the bar of the stands and as I began to squat I immediately felt my lower back again so put the bar straight back on the stands. I can't frikkin' believe this, my neck was pretty much OK today and now this! I've got until Friday morning to see how things go. I work in an office at a desk so it's not like I'm lifting all day, so hopefully I'll be fine. My suspicion is that I was being a bit too careful about not re-injuring my neck and that led to not being careful enough with the squat, and with 82.5kg (which is heavy for me), I end up like this. Even with all the stretching and warming up I do, this is a lesson learned the hard way! The worst part about this is, the rest of the workout was fine! Press ups with 17.5kg on your back aren't much fun, but I still managed 5,5,3.

@KIB Thanks very much for the encouragement, support and the advice about pressure points, I'll check up on techniques to try and ease it. Man I hate that OHP, but you're right, most everyone else does too! I'll crack that bad boy yet, I'll just have to use HATE to do it!

gkw

[guru]

My suspicion is that I was being a bit too careful about not re-injuring my neck and that led to not being careful enough with the squat

I would think so too.. you got too conscious about the neck & the back didn't get the attention, so it complained. Good workout otherwise.

Good luck on the back - see you smashing that 82.5 - 5x5 next time.

[groundskeeperwillie]

Thanks guru. I've got to start being a bit more positive but at the same time vigilant. 82.5kg it is then!

[KIB]

Yeah, you and Guru have a good idea of what went on. Make sure you're not "carrying" the bar with your neck (by hunching over and straining the neck to support it). Pinch those shoulder blades together and show your chest, up and proud. That will lock the upper torso, then flex those abs as if you're pushing against a belt and that will lock up the lower torso. Hope you can get these last two muscle tweaks behind you. The workout is great otherwise! Got a heatpack for the neck? Even a hot water bottle is great for increasing blood flow to the area that needs it.

[groundskeeperwillie]

@KIB Thanks dude, if I can wrestle the hot water bottle off the missus I'll press it to the flesh!


I've bought a weight belt. I know opinion is divided on the subject of belt or no belt, but after Wednesdays silliness I'm not taking any chances. Besides I was watching a video of Mark Rippetoe squating with 300+ lbs and he's got one on, so if it's good enough for him then...
Anyway, I didn't go for some cheap crappy thing, I spent some cash and got one of these http://www.maximuscle.com/trainingaccessories/leatherpowerbelts.html.

Tried it tonight and it's pretty good. Shouldn't need to buy another one as the quality is very good.