jasonh training log

[jasonh]

hello fello lifters

I'm Jason. I have been lifting weights since high school and just recently started the SL 5x5 program. I am 27 years old, 221 lb and 15% BF (estimating). I competed in Olympic weightlifting in high school and did basically bodybuilding routines from then until a week ago. I made pretty good gains with those routines but I found this site and really like what I read. I started the program on Sept. 1, 09. Growing up on a farm and playing sports in school kept me pretty active, but after graduating college and getting a desk job my life became more sedetary. My goal for the next 3 months is acheive the weights on the spreadsheet without stalling while losing some BF and getting stronger. I have always liked the strength exercises and routines so I should not get bored with this program like other 12 week routines. I received muscle and fitness mags for years but really got bored looking at the same routines every month so I stopped my subscription. So here is the workouts as of late. Mind you I have only done 2 workouts so far since this is my first week.

Sept. 1
Squat - 125 lb 5x5
Bench - 185 lb 5x5
In. Row - 8-9-7 BW
In. Push Up - 15-15-15 BW
Rev. Crunch - 15-15-15 BW

Sept 3
Squat - 130 lb 5x5
OHP - 110 lb 5x5
Deadlift - 155 lb 1x5
Pull Up - 3/3/4 BW

I can see that my back needs some work, but I know as I progress through the program those assistance numbers will go up.

I wasn't sure about the squats every workout, but I actually like to see if I can add that little extra weight and complete the sets.

[lifthard]

hey jason. welcome!

It'll be interesting to see your progress since you have that Olympic weighlifting background from HS. What made you go from that to BB routines?

[jasonh]

well i basically did the Olympic Weightlifting for basketball in high school. My weightlifting coach is a pretty well known person in the OW arena and he wanted me to stick with it through college and there after. At the time I wanted to be like Arnold so i switched to BB routines. I still see my coach at the Arnold Olympia in Columbus, oh. I've been out of HS for almost 10 years now and everytime I see him he askes how I'm doing and how my parents are doing. He's a really good guy. I think what kinda turned me off was that I was 6'0" tall about 200 lbs my senior year of HS and I was lifting against guys that were 5+ years older than me but they were shorter but same weight and more muscle and experience. I was cleaning around 100kg (not sure, it's been awhile since I thought about it) and they were cleaning 125+kg. So I thought at the time why waste my time when I will never win anything. You know the typical 18 year old impatient attitude. I dont regret it really. Everything happens for a reason. I remeber my best squat in the gym was 155 kg for 3 and had no problem, I wanted to go more but he said no thats good enough. I was 17 at the time. His name is Lou DeMarco if someone might know him.

thanks for the comment Lifthard

[jasonh]

Been pretty busy with work, but I just finished my 2nd week of the SL5x5 program and here are my latest acheivements.

Sept 4
Sq- 136 5x5
BP- 190 5x5
Inv. Row - 10/9/8 BW
Dips - 15/15/15 BW

Week 2

Sept 7
Sq - 145 5x5
OHP - 115 5x5
DL - 165 1x5
Chin ups - 5/5/5 BW

Sept 9
Sq - 150 5x5
BP - 200 5x5
Inv. Row - 11/9/8 BW
In. Push ups - 15/15/15 BW

Sept 11
Sq - 155 5x5
OHP - 125 (56.7 Kg) 5x5
DL - 180 1x5
Pull ups - 5/5/5 BW

checked BW this morning and I am up a pound to 222lbs. However looking in the mirror, I am not really noticing any lose in BF, but I am seeing more muscle. So I am happy about that. I know the BF will go down, it just takes time.

I felt really good the last week or so with the program. I really look forward to lifting and aking that next weight. I am really interested in the OHP race to 70 kg on the forum. I hope whoever is updating that race will add me to the race. I did 56.7 kg last night for 5x5 and the last couple reps on the last set or two were a little slower but they felt great. I did that workout last night around 8 and by 10 i felt a little sore in my delts, which i havent felt in along time. I have to move my workout for next week to sunday-tuesday-thursday and then finally a vacation to Tampa, Fl for a nice long restful weekend then back to work (workout not my actual job) on monday. Stay strong everyone.

[jasonh]

Sept. 14
Sq - 160 5x5
BP - 205 5x5
In. Row - 13/10/10 BW
Dips - 15/15/15 BW

Sept. 16
Sq - 165 5x5
OHP - 130 5x5
DL - 190 1x5

Overheads felt good. The weights are starting to feel 'heavy" but still managable. I keep thinking about squating 320 for 5x5 as per the SL5x5 workout runout and i think ther is no way. But as I warm up I see that I am using the last weight i used as my last warm up, so i guess there is hope. Stay Strong

[jasonh]

Sept. 17 (the above dates are a day ahead)
Sq - 170 5x5
BP - 210 5x5
In. Row - 13/11/8 bw
In. Pushup - 15/15/15 bw

Vacation was great. Very relaxing on the beach with plenty of booze to go with it!!!

Now back to business
Sept. 22
Sq - 175 5x5
OHP - 135 5x5
DL - 200
Pull up - 6/5/5 bw (1 more than last time!!)

135 was tough on the OHP, but I think now that I am back to reality and my normal schedule I should be back on track mentally with all my lifts.

[jfh26]

Nice bench numbers. Keep it up!

[jasonh]

thanks jfh

my bench isnt that tough yet. My hardest lift has been the OHP so far.

thanks for compliment

[jasonh]

finally finished Week 4 workouts. I hate when life gets in the way of working out.

here is the last workout of the first month of the program
Sept. 28
Sq - 185 5x5
OHP - 140 5x5
DL - 210 1x5
chinups - will do tonight with abs.

OHP was tough at 140. I hope i dont stall before hitting 155. I will say one thing that might have contributed is not proper diet for the last couple of weeks, my family and I cut 9 bundles of slabs saturday and not getting enough rest. I am eating more protein and trying to sleep more to let my body catch up. I think i have come pretty far in this program to date.

[jasonh]

did chinups tonight

7/6/6 bw

whoohoo 1 more rep than last time

[jasonh]

5th week workouts

Sept. 30
Sq - 190
BP - 220
In. Row - 14/13/11 bw
In. Pushup - 15/15/15 bw

Oct. 2
Sq - 195
OHP - 145
DL - 225
Pull up - 7/6/6 bw

Oct. 4
Ran in a 2 mile race in Youngtown, Ohio called the Peace Race. My wife ran in the 6 mile race that same day. I only add this in to my training log for this reason. Prior to this race I ran 0 times. I walked with my wife for a few weeks until we got to busy with everything. I ran the 2 mile race in 17:35 this year. I ran the same race last year and finished in 18:54. Thanks to Mehdi and this program, iIfinished a race 1:30 minutes quicker then conventional BB and running.

Oct. 5
Sq - 200
BP - 225
In. Row - 15/13/11 bw
Dip - 15/15/15 bw

OHP was tough this week but i am detrermined to get to the 70 kg mark.

Stay Strong

[jasonh]

6th week workouts

Oct. 7
Sq - 210
OHP - 150
DL - 235
Chinup - 8/6/6 BW

Oct. 9
Sq - 215
BP - 230
In. Row - 15/13/12 BW
In. Pushup - 15/15/15 BW

Oct. 10
Cut more firewood

Oct. 11
Helped my wifes friend move into their house. Wow was some of that stuff heavy.

Oct. 13
Sq - 215
OHP - 155 (70 kilo's)
DL - 245
Pullup - 7/7/7 BW


I was pretty happy with this weeks workouts. The 70 kg OHP was a big confidence booster. I have only done maybe 1 or 2 sets of 135-145 in my life, so that was pretty cool. The weights are getting heavier but still manageable. I am really surprised with the BW exercises. It seems every week I improve more on those.

Stay Strong

[jasonh]

7th week workouts

Oct. 19
Sq - 225
BP - 235
In. Row - 15/14/12 BW
Dips - 15/15/15 BW

Oct. 21
Sq - 230
OHP - 160
DL - 235
Chin ups - 9/7/7

Oct. 23
Sq - 235
BP - 240
In. Row - 15/15/13 BW
In. Pushup - 15/15/15 BW

overall a good week. really happy how the weights are still going up eventhough they are starting to get heavy. i would write more but im really tired from that last workout.

stay strong

[jasonh]

8th week workouts

Oct. 26
Sq - 240
OHP - 165
DL - 265
Pull ups - 8/7/7

Oct. 28
Sq - 245
BP - 245
In. Row - 15/15/11 BW
Dips - 15/15/15 BW

Oct. 31
Sq - 250
OHP - 170
DL - 275
Chin ups - 8/6/5

overall a good week. pretty happy about the weights this week. not sure what happened withthe bw exercises. i think the traveling for work is catching up a bit. the 170 OHP form was not great and im an advocate of form so i took a volumtary fail on this weight and performed it again on 11/4. however i was up at 430am to travel yet again and the weights went up 5x5 and form was a little better but not as good as i want it to be. i am going to try 170 again and see if my form is better then move on with the weight. i dont think i will make my goal weight but i'll still be happy cause i have never did this much weight before on the OHP.

stay strong