Kib's Numbers - Training Log

[KIB]

Hello all,
Some inspiring profiles here. Nice to see such a mix of people/body types.

Me: 6' 1" ectomorph.
Gave up being a vegetarian after 17 years in Aug 2006.
Heaviest weight before then: 155lb soaking wet.
Started body-weight training at home in March 2007.
Increased knowledge, training and goals in July.
Got my first 5lb tub of whey isolate in Sept for my 40th birthday.
Weight now 173 lb and holding.
On Monday, January 14, 2008 I lifted over my own body weight on the vertical bench machine:
(10x170 lb, 8x180, 3x180). That is one major, life-long goal achieved.
Got my first jars of creatine, glutamine and a 25 lb box of whey today.
Still looking to refine my regimen and will be asking lots of questions in the forum.
Looking forward to reading about 5x5 when I get the link.
Here comes a big 2008.

[Mehdi]

Welcome Kib. Why did you gave up vegeterianism? Solid weight gain, congraz.

[KIB]

Thanks, Mehdi.

One main reason? Italy. My wife and I were heading back there and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sample some of the world's best food. I was veg last time we were there and, while I'm used to others eating meat around me and have no problems with that, I started to get the feeling that I was missing out on once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences (I ate boiled sheep's head in Tunisia last winter! Awesome!)

Plus, I figure it would be hard work to undo all the benefits that I've accrued over 17 years.
I'm a firm believer in quality over quantity, so I eat a little very good stuff and appreciate it.
I've still got my high-school 32" waist, although I'm trying to push that with my abs.

Everything in moderation, right? (Including moderation)

[Mehdi]

Italy has definitely the best food there is. Ah so you live in Italy, where are you from exactly? I've been to Italy three times in the past. Once skiing, once visited rome/florence/venice/ and the rest of north italy during 2 weeks, and a citytrip in milan 1.5y ago. Great food, great country, great weather, great atmosphere, great people

[KIB]

So you know what I'm talking about! We live in Vancouver, Canada but we're seriously thinking about moving to Italy. Your trips sound great. It's important to go and see those places and to experience it fully. Wild boar, stewed slowly with onions, big Amarone wine, the coffee... oh, man, it's all so good.

[Mehdi]

So you know what I'm talking about! We live in Vancouver, Canada but we're seriously thinking about moving to Italy. Your trips sound great. It's important to go and see those places and to experience it fully. Wild boar, stewed slowly with onions, big Amarone wine, the coffee... oh, man, it's all so good.

I've been thinking about it too actually. You know what they say, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. But it's striking. Mentality in southern europe is different from western-europe. I'm sure the weather is one reason.

[KIB]

First time to the gym after reading the 5x5 e-book. I used what I read to re-think how I've been working out and to look at the set-up to see what exercises in the 5x5 I'll be able to do. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing some with machines but I'll do what free weights I can.
Vertical Bench (machine): 170 lb x 6, 180 x 6, 180 x 5, 180 x 2 (f), 170 x 3 (f)
Standing Sidebends: 65 lb x 20 each side
Straight leg ab sit-ups lifting medicine ball with feet: 6kg x 20, 6kg x 12
Incline sit-ups: pin on 7th hole (don't know what angle, but steep), holding 10 lb on chest x 20
Dips: 10 lb on belt (to fail) x 10/7/6
Seated leg press (machine): 220 x 10, 240 x10, 260 x 10, 280 x 10, 300 x 10
Hmm... what are these called? It's a cable machine with two stacks you stand between. You can either pull up or pull down to lift the stack. If I stand between them and hold my arms straight out to the sides and pull down, are these Butterfly Pull-Downs, or something? Anyway: 55 lb x 8/8/8/8/8
Bicep Curls: 30 lb each hand x5/5/4/4
Chin-ups: 5/5/5/5/4
Again, don't know what these are called but I hold a dumbell in each hand and lift my arms up to the side as far as possible: 30 lb x6/5/7/5
That's it!
 

[KIB]

Well I started the 5x5 today, dropping most of my previous exercises. I'm concerned about potential back injury due to my age (40) and my body type (long, thin torso) so I studied Mehdi's eBook and videos a lot before going to the gym today. I practiced the movements for the squat, bb row and bp at home with a broom, too, to make sure I had the postures correct.
Starting out very light, but liking the feel of these exercises. Got some good help from friendly guys at the gym, too, which was really nice.
squat 40kg 5x5
bench 40kg 5x5 (it was hard to stick with small weights cuz last week I had a PR of 180 lb on the vert bench machine!)
bb row 40k 5x5 (doing them underhand to work my biceps, reduced weight from 50 kg because I was having trouble finding the form)
dips +10lb on belt 10/7/6
leg lifts +6kg med ball 15/10
steep situps 20
chins 9/6/4
Looking forward to Wednesday and the overhead press.
Edited Feb 11 to add the weight of the bar (+20kg).

[jdurando]

Good to see you are going on the 5x5 KIB - you have the right idea only lift what you can with the correct form, you will be better off with what you can safely handle with the correct form int the long run it will help you to be able to loft more anyway.

[KIB]

Thanks, jd. I appreciate the support. It was hard not to add more weight today. My barbells looked so scrawny! But like I said, the guys at the gym were really helpful. Some of them were even asking about technique for the bb row. They were interested but had never seen it demonstrated. I was nervous showing them what little I knew, but Mehdi's videos and info got us through it.

[jdurando]

Good deal - keep the fact that you were able to give them some advice in mind in the future when someone suggests that you should add weight, you already know when you should do so.

[KIB]

My calves are burning today!

[Mehdi]

Thanks, jd. I appreciate the support. It was hard not to add more weight today. My barbells looked so scrawny! But like I said, the guys at the gym were really helpful. Some of them were even asking about technique for the bb row. They were interested but had never seen it demonstrated. I was nervous showing them what little I knew, but Mehdi's videos and info got us through it.

That's good If you feel you have the strength to use more weight: keep the weights low during the next 2 weeks to focus on technique: adding 2.5kg every workout. Then start working with 5kg per workout on squats/bench press/rows & 10kg on deadlift (oh press 2.5kg). If you're confdient about the technique of course.

[KIB]

squat 42.5kg 5x5 Took my technique notes to the gym. Feeling more confident and looking forward to more weight.
oh press 40kg 5x5 First time. Tricky. Left side lagging noticeably. Just got my 5x5 in. Hoping for improvement here. Careful study and practice of technique before.
deadlift 60kg 1x5 Very careful practice of technique to start. Much easier than expected.
suspended leg lifts +4kg ball 2x15 Used to do these lying down, like a straight-leg ab crunch lifting a medicine ball with my feet. Today I started using the dip stand to do full 90-degree raises holding the ball with my feet. Think I'll increase to 6kg next time.
dips +10lb 10/8/7 PR. Feeling good here.
incline situps 2x20
chins +10lb 9/5/5 Another PR. Great feeling.
weight: 178.5lb/81kg Hoping to hold this weight all week.
 
Thanks again for the advice, Mehdi. I've got the .xls file and am following it. Slow and steady. Saw a young skinny guy doing 60kg squats but noticed his weight rocking forward on every lift, heels off the ground. I felt bad I wasn't lifting that weight yet, but nothing is going to push me into bad form.
Edited Feb 11 to add the weight of the bar (+20kg).

[Mehdi]

Thanks again for the advice, Mehdi. I've got the .xls file and am following it. Slow and steady. Saw a young skinny guy doing 60kg squats but noticed his weight rocking forward on every lift, heels off the ground. I felt bad I wasn't lifting that weight yet, but nothing is going to push me into bad form.

You should have told him about the heels to curl his toes up. Otherwise we get another kid injurying himself & giving squat bad reputation because of his bad technique.