Labrat's Training Log

[atypical1]

Hey Steve,

You asked about when to add Tabata training and there is no good answer. I added it because I wanted to lose some weight and get my heart stronger. So far it hasn't hindered my progress and I'm still able to maintain weekly gains. I work full time and have an 11month old (at 40...I never knew that parenting was a young man's game...lol) so I don't always get the best rest I could but I always make sure and eat a lot.

I would say that if you want to add the Tabata or other cardio then you should but be prepared to need just a bit more food. I also don't run at all (well, I sprint around with my dog) so my legs get worked some during my cardio but not really that much. My cardio is also short. My complexes only take maybe 15 minutes or so and my Tabata session is 4 minutes.

Hope that helps,
james

[Labrat]

Day 29 - 14 Apr 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 175 lbs.
OHP - 5,5,5,4,4 - 120 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 1x5 - 305 lbs.
Pull-ups 3x5 - 15 lbs.
Prone Bridges - 3x60s

Weird... the occasional squat felt really heavy, usually one per set. For the most part, I was happy with my form and tempo. Damn, I was bummed about the last two sets of OHPs. I'll get 'em next time. Thisclose. The 5th rep on the 4th set was probably in me... not the last one though - I died. A lot of wrist pain the last two sets that certainly didn't do me any favors. Need a couple good nights of sleep.

[Davek]

Damn nice job on the overheads. Yes you will get 5X5 next time. I'm hoping to get a fifth set up & really hoping to to get 5X5. Anyway, hey, be careful w/the wrist pain. I use to get that before I knew how to bench press correctly. & if I'm not mistaken, aren't you having bench trouble, kinda'? Now, be sure to grip the bar in the cup of your hand, so your wrist is pointed toward the ceiling, in other words, your hands are straight, not the bar tilting your wrists back. That was my problem for a long long time until I read & reread proper form/technique (read it). also, hold the bar so that your arms are 45 degrees from your body, no more than that. Push straight up & allow the bar to touch your pecs then push again. & be firm w/ your feet planted on the ground. I've heard to become better at benching, we need to be better at squating. & it's seems to be true.

gd work, keep at it.

[Labrat]

Day 30 - 16 Apr 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 180 lbs.
Bench - 5,3,2 - 170 lbs.
Inv Rows - 3x5 - 45 lbs.
Dips - 3x5
Rev Crunches - 3x20

Squats felt solid actually... then everything fell apart. On my second set of bench presses (after warming up pretty thoroughly), I felt a shooting pain in my left arm. Literally seemed to emanate from my humerus... really disturbing, and put my benching to a halt. I took all the weight off and did a couple sets with the bar alone. Was throbbing a bit doing rows, while I took it easy. I felt some general fatigue (2 yr old son been crying in the middle of the night, waking up at 5... my sleep has not been great), but this was a weird pain to feel. I did some dips, but did not have the energy to tie on the weight. Even though the entire W/O was a big failure, I did the crunches out of stubbornness. The only positive is that the 180 squats felt very solid. I think the 5 lb adds and the reset really helped my confidence.

[Labrat]

Day 31 - 21 Apr 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 185 lbs.
OHP - 5,4*,5,5,5 - 120 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 1x5 - 305 lbs.
Chin-ups 3x5 - 25 lbs.
Prone Bridges - 3x60s

Squats were pretty stinking tough. Slow on a few. But I felt solid on them. Sooooo pissed about my 1 missed OHP. Just a lack of concentration. After watching some Rippetoe OHP videos on Youtube I realized that I was not using my hips to help engage my lower body and make a really stable base to push from. I was doing a lot of standing military presses. I should have a lot of confidence next time to finish off the 120. Rack pulls... again I prove my brilliance and repeat a weight unnecessarily. Chin-ups were tough mainly due to tired hands. I may think about an alternative to prone bridges as my arms are so sore from the chin-ups.

[Labrat]

Day 32 - 30 Apr 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 155 lbs.
Bench - 5x5 - 135 lbs.
Inv Rows - 1x15, 2x5 +25 lbs.
Dips - 3x5 - 25 lbs.
Rev Crunches - 3x20

Finally posting again... sick for about 4 days and felt terrible. No, not swine flu. I don't think.

Felt pretty decent and gave 185 squats a shot for a set after I warmed up... 3 was a struggle. After that, I decided to take it easy on everything. I'll probably add 10-15 to these next time, depending on how workout B goes.

[Labrat]

Day 33 - 2 May 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 165 lbs.
OHP - 5x5 - 120 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 1x5 - 325 lbs.
Pull-ups (neutral grip) 3x5 - 25 lbs.
Prone Bridges - 3x60s

Squats felt very smooth. Maybe I should have ramped back up... I'll add 10 each time until I get back to 185. This is probably helping build my confidence and I'm really happy with my form and tempo.

Finally got the OHPs. Now I'll look forward to dropping 125 lbs on my head.

Felt pretty good in general. Saturday w/o's are always like this since I get to sleep in a little bit more (not much... the kids are still up at 6).

[Labrat]

Day 34 - 5 May 2009

Squat - 5x5 - 175 lbs.
Bench - 5x5 - 155 lbs.
Cable Rows - 5x5 - 140 lbs.
Dips - 20,12,9+1
Rev Crunches - 3x20

After my first set of squats, I did not think I'd make all of them. I guess I was still warming up, though. The rest of them were tough but never in doubt. Bench press felt good as well as I work back up to my hurdle of 170 lbs. The Smith machine was taken and I was in a hurry so I did cable rows for my back instead of inverted rows. Also, my right shoulder was pretty sore so I decided to do 3xF on Dips rather than use plates. As I progressed to 50 lbs. on the dips, I was having shoulder pain for a couple of days. Pain, not soreness. I wanted to be very careful as a shoulder injury would really hinder most of my lifts. I thought I'd get 3x15, but ended up going to 20 on the first set. That effectively squashed me. Tried to get 10 on the last set, but only did it by stopping for a second. All in all, I was pleased despite the lack of PR's.

[Davek]

excellent squat work! keep it going. i heard this morning how lower body workouts & big muscle lifts are the fastest way to lose body fat. now I know why SL5X5 works!

[Labrat]

Day 35 - 7 May 2009

Squat - 3x5 - 185 lbs.
OHP - 3,4,4 - 125 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 4 - 335 lbs.
Chin-ups - 3x5 - 30 lbs.
Prone Bridges - 3x60s

I decided to do 3x5 as I have now achieved the 1xBW Bench Press and 0.75xBW OHP, and am getting close to 2xBW on Rack Pulls. I am admittedly not that close to 1.5X BW Squats (240 lbs !!?). My w/o's were also taking over an hour. Anyway, I feel like I'm rationalizing now. We'll see how things go. My goal is to get to 3x5 225 lbs squats and then look into an intermediate program.

Surprise, surprise... squats felt heavy. Just kidding. They're always heavy now. I did feel like my form was not that great. I will probably do 185 again this weekend. As I upped my OHPs, I predictably felt like I was going to die. Maybe going in next time planning on 3x5 I will attack the first set a bit harder. First fail on the rack pulls... hard to feel good about these or brag (haha) in the midst of others doing "real" deadlifts. Oh well.

[Labrat]

Day 36 - 14 May 2009

Squat - 3x5 - 190 lbs.
Bench - 3x5 - 165 lbs.
BB Rows - 3x5 - 135 lbs.
Dragon Flags - 3x7

Skipped dips entirely as I proceed with caution on my shoulder. Everything else felt ok. Went back to BB Rows just to beat some boredom (and because I haven't figured out how to balance more than one 45 lb. plate on my chest for inverted rows).

[Labrat]

Day 37 - 17 May 2009

Squat - 3x5 - 195 lbs.
OHP - 5,4,4 - 125 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 4 - 325 lbs.
Pull-ups - 3x5 - 25 lbs.

Kids to the zoo yesterday. Note to self: going to the gym on Sunday at closing time is apparently popular. And I got thrown out since they closed at 5. Rushed through, so I'm extra pooped. Think if I'd taken rest and had my legs under me, I might have gotten 3x5 on the OHPs. Oh well. Try again next time.

[Davek]

Hey Steve, Thanks for checking in, always look forward to hearing from you. Your numbers are looking pretty awesome. 125 Overhead is freekin' Great!

Yeah, I'm going to move to Mehdi's inter.. program once he posts it. Pretty sure I can do 250 squat 1X right now w/ god form so I ready to go.. Until then, I'll just keep at it the way I've been doing it. Always ways to push this program a little...i.e. faster reps increase weight & so on..I also am increasing Body Weight exercises too. adding weight that is. I ? my inverted are now +25lbs & dips are +30, so, not to bad for a guy thats 50!!!!LOL

Talk to ya' soon, keep up the GREAT work!

[Labrat]

Day 38 - 19 May 2009

Squat - 5,4,5 - 200 lbs.
Bench - 3x5 - 170 lbs.
BB Rows - 5,5,4 - 135 lbs.
Dips - 3x5 - 45 lbs.
Rev Crunches - 3x20

Damn. Stupid squats. Amazing how 5 additional pounds can make me feel like folding under the weight of the bar some days. Like today, for example. Still, I managed to get 5 twice. Will give it another go.

Bench press felt pretty good... the 5th rep each time took a little extra oomph.

I wanted to do 135 on the BB Rows again since I had done inv. rows for so long. I just died on the last one, though. Those really do make you dizzy.

I cautiously did 45 lbs. on dips, taking note of how deep I was going to not blow out my shoulder again. Feel good right now... we'll see in a couple days, I guess.

[Labrat]

Day 39 - 22 May 2009

Squat - 3x5 - 200 lbs.
OHP - 3x5 - 125 lbs.
Rack Pulls - 1x5 - 335 lbs.
Chin-ups - 5,5,4 - 35 lbs.
Prone Bridges - 3x60s

PR night... squat, OHP, and rack pulls.

Switched to low-bar position on squats. Wow, I think I was starting to add a good morning onto my squats in the high-bar position. I don't know why I started with high-bar... maybe it felt more natural? Anyway, I did some shoulder dislocations (not as smoothly as Medhi demonstrates) and the 3x5 felt much easier than in the high bar position. I also went at 7 pm last night as opposed to 5:30 am so I know I had a bit more energy. My upper body is sore this morning so I have to keep up the shoulder dislocations. I also might have to set the pins one spot lower... re-racking the weight after the reps requires that I push up on my toes a bit and do one side of the bar at a time - that's not good.

Also finally got 125 on the press. The last rep required quite a bit of savage grunting (and some spittle on the mirror). My membership dues ought to cover a bit of Windex, eh?

Almost got the chin-ups, but it was not to be... last one was about 1/2. Then I did one loooong negative to punish myself.

I suppose dumbbells have their place, but oh, barbell, where have you been all my life? Loving this program. Starting Strength (book and DVD) are on their way to my house. Very excited.