iTrain's 5x5 journal and log

by **iTrain** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:01 pm

I have a journal on another site, but since the routine came from this one, I will refer back here for routine-specific questions.
I am a little incredulous that I will be able to squat 1.5 my bodyweight (for 5 reps?) but I will give the routine the benefit of the doubt.
I started 3 weeks ago and maybe started too heavy, because I had already started another routing 8 weeks earlier or so. But, I am a weak person, so it's not like I started so heavy in the general scope of weights.
Never the less here are my stats:
Age: 38 (not a lot of us in this age group in these forums I suspect)
Weight: 77k
Height: 180cm approx
Bodyfat: 16% aprox
My log can be seen here:
tinyurl.com/2wgd7y
My body pics can be seen here:
tinyurl.com/2ok733
tinyurl.com/2sofrr
tinyurl.com/3584qd
Is there anyone out there that has started at approximately the same level that I have and been able to squat 1.5 your body weight? I don't doubt that many have, I am just curious to find out about the experience, how difficult it is, how long it took, etc.
Thanks for your comment.

by **Mehdi** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:38 pm

There are several 30-40y old on the forum. Actually most readers are 25-45y old on StrongLifts.com.
Check the logs of Mutt, Tony, Mouse for a start, they lift 1.5x body-weigth. Several other members are between 1 & 1.5x Squat right now.

by **Mouse** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:43 pm

iTrain
Glad you've landed at stronglifts - it will work for you and 1.5 bodyweight squats will come if you stick at it.
Good pics and great to see white shorts - next time try for white briefs !!!!!!!!!!!
(do some reading and you'll get that last comment !)

by **iTrain** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:10 pm

There are bad days and there are good days. This past weds. workout was tough. I felt my squat had a bit of bad form and it was challenging. My overhead press was also not with pure form and I failed on the last rep. And the Deadlift was kind of Ugly.
I considered stalling on my weight for the squat since I felt the previous session was bad. But I thought I was being perhaps a scardy cat, so I gave it a try.
It went so well and effortless, that at one point I was almost kicking myself thinking I had loaded 10k less than I should have. But I hadn't. I was lifting more than last time and with better form (I think).
My Bench press was challenging and I had to ask my boyfriend to spot me just in case, but I finished all my 5x5.
Rows were challenging, and I am not sure I have perfect form yet, but I still did them.
By the time I got to dips I was pretty knackered but did a few nevertheless.

by **Mehdi** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:50 pm

Post your weights iTrain. We all post our weights.
The picture you posted. Check your posture. Left shoulder is higher than the right one. One hip is higher than the other one. Not sure about your pelvis, but it looks as if it is slightly tilt forward. Maybe you have back pain in one side and/or neck pain in one side.
If you don't do something about this, you'll get bigger problems as you get stronger and/or as you get older. Assuming you don't already have some pains. Start working on hip mobility/glute activation, that will help the pelvis thing. Focus on quality of movement. upper-body stuff follows in a few weeks.

by **vman** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 1:12 pm

Welcome to the club iTrain - as Mehdi said plenty of us here in the over 35's myself included

by **iTrain** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:48 pm

Thanks Mehdi, you are right about my posture. I have noticed the angles. I have know all my life that I have slight scoliosis.
I have started warming up with 5 minutes on the eliptical machine followed by some glute activation and some stretches. That seems to be helping.
Like I mentioned before, I did have some lower back pain. In general, my muscles are very hard and tense at the end of a workout, so I may go visit a masseur and/or physio to make sure that everything is all right.
On my last workout I did:
SQUAT
5x5
52.5k

Bench Press
5x5
45k

Barbell Row
5x5
40k

Dips
8,6,6
My next workout, I will stall on a couple of exercise:

SQUAT
5x5
55

Overhead press
5x5
22.5 (stalling on this one at this weight)

Deadlift
1x5
65k (stalling on this one at this weight)

Chin-ups
3xF

***** full journal can be found here: tinyurl.com/2wgd7y

by **iTrain** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:27 pm

This wednesday was a disasater. Although I had enough energy for the squats, when I cam to the bench for bench presses, I had no strength left. The presses I did, were with much difficulty and my last attempt, I didn't even try for one rep as I was certain I wasn't going to be able to push it back up. Ended up skipping the dips.
Friday was a success. The rest did me well and I had plenty of energy for all the exercises and completed the presses with strength to spare, which I had been unagble to finish before.

mo                          we                fr
3/24/2008        3/26/2008        3/28/2008

SQUAT              SQUAT         SQUAT
5x5                        5x5                  5x5
55                          57.5                    60
check                    check                check

press              Bench Press         press
5x5                     5x5                            5x5
22.5*                    47.5 **                     22.5***
*Stalled: -1 again, but with better form, without using legs
**3x47.5, 1x45, 4x45
***Stalled weight: completed 5x5x22.5check

Deadlift            Barbell Row        Deadlift
1x5                        5x5                 1x5
65                          42.5**             70***
*Stalled: completed with better form than last deadlift.
**5,5,3
***check (form needs attention)

Pull-ups                    Dips             Chin-ups
3xF                              3xF                      3xF
4,3,3                            none                 6,4,3

by **iTrain** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:29 pm

***** full journal can be found here: tinyurl.com/2wgd7y

by **Mehdi** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:34 pm

You never did the overhead press before I presume? Keep on training, squats are wearing you out it sounds, but you'll get used to it. Your endurance will increase as the weight increases.

by **iTrain** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:43 pm

Mehdi,
Weds. was a curious thing. It may be a combination of things. I don't remember what I ate the night before, but my boyfriend who was working out with me that day, also felt he didn't have energy. So maybe our dinner had something to do with it. I had also gone for a run the day before.
I have to start paying more attention to what I eat and my sleeping habits, as I always feel I could sleep more..

by **Mehdi** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:55 pm

Could be the run combined with the squats + lack of sleep and maybe bad nutrition. If you lacked sleep/bad nutrition you know what to do.
You went to the gym, that's what matters. Always go the gym, even if you have lack of sleep or whatever. It teaches you a lesson not to do it again, and you avoid missed workouts. persistency is more important than anything else. Keep on lifting, you'll be doing 77,5kg for 5x5 in 2 weeks if you don't miss workouts and keep adding weight like this (it shouldn't be a problem to keep adding weight).

by **iTrain** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:44 am

This week was challenging.
Monday I couldn't complete the bench press and it sapped all my strength for the for dips.
Weds I couldn't complete the Press and stalled on the deadlift at 70k.
Friday saw me fail on my squat at 67.5k, although I was able to do all 5x5 of the Bench press. However, I will stall the bench press at 47.5 to work on form as I was not touching my chest with the bar. Same for the Barbell Row, will stall at 45 for better form. Dips were good given the amount of strength expended on other exercise.
Monday:
SQUAT
5x5
62.5

check

Bench Press
5x5
50

4x5x47.5

Barbell Row
5x5
42.5

check

Dips
3xF
0
Weds
SQUAT
5x5
65

check

Overhead press
5x5
25

5, 5, 4, 3

Deadlift
1x5
70

Stalled here for better form. but competed it

Pull-ups
3xF
4, 4, 3
Friday:

SQUAT
5x5
67.5

5x67.5, 3x67.5, 2x5x65

Bench Press
5x5
52.5

check, but will stall here to work on better form: touch chest with bar

Barbell Row
5x5
45

2x45, 2x42.5, will stall at 45 to work on form

Dips
3xF
6, 6, 6

by **Mehdi** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:34 pm

how was sleep/nutrition this week iTrain?

by **iTrain** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:25 pm

Mehdi wrote:how was sleep/nutrition this week iTrain?

Thanks Mehdi. One can never get enough sleep. But I haven't seen the same lack of energy/strength since that time.

As a matter of fact, this week I reached 70k on my squat ( will post all weights at the end of the week). Although I have had enough energy, I have stalled on my bench press and deadlifts, but I may be ready to move on on the deadlifts. But I will stall again on the bench press until I can consistently touch my chest with the bar, as I feel some reps are falling short of the full range of motion.

I also feel that I may deload on the bent over rows, as I am not doing the full range of motion on these.

I will be taking new pictures soon and posting them. I am afraid that I may not show much change in my body shape. I know there are slight changes, but these may be only visible to me as I keep looking at myself in the mirror! :wink:

PS-sorry for the delay in the reply, I hadn't notice your post.