Lazarus's Long Log

[Lazarus]

Starting Stats--

Age: 30 Weight: 210 lbs Height: 6'1" BF%: unknown
Squat 5RM : 225 lbs Deadlift 5RM: 245 OHP 5RM: 110 BP 5RM: 155

Goals:
Between 235 lbs bodyweight, Squat 1RM of 500+, Deadlift 1RM of 600+. I'll probably come up with some goals for pressing in a month or two, depending on how my right shoulder is holding up.

Deadline: A year seems appropriate.

Approach:
In terms of nutrition, I plan to continue my low carb diet, heavy on meat and vegetables, and to add in 1/2 GOMAD. I don't want to focus too much on quick weight gain, since I'm already suffering from some feelings of eating burnout and with my current weight I'd be happy to gain at the rate of 5-8 lbs a month.

I'm starting with the 5x5 beginner's program since I've only been lifting for 2 months, first workout A was tonight. I've been spending a lot of time doing yoga and playing tennis/basketball/soccer recently, to the degree that it's probably interfering significantly with weight training. Part of the problem is I've been influenced been Pavel's theories of not training to failure, so I'm never sore and always antsy from too much energy. Yea, I know, great thing to complain about, right?

First workout A, Wed May 13:

Figuring out squat 5RM:
135 lb x 5, 185 x 5, 205 x 5, 225 x 5. I'll start 5x5 next time at 155 lbs.
Bench: 115 lb 5x5
Power Cleans: 115 lb 3x5
Push Ups: 20/20/15
RC: 3x12

My right shoulder is not a fan of the pushups, thinking of doing dips instead.

[Lazarus]

There's only one power cage at my gym, but it's usually empty so I can understand why. But recently, every time I go this other guy is there in the cage, doing his routine. It consists of biceps curls, followed by BB shrugs, and then BB high pulls, 3 sets each. He's a nice enough guy and he probably just used to that being an empty piece of equipment, but it's just over the top.

Anyway, once he finished up I knocked out my first 'B' workout:

Squat: 155lb 5x5
OHP: 70 lb 5x5
Deadlift: 185 lb 1x5
Pullups: 4,4,3
Prone Bridges 30 sec x 3

Pullups are a goal area for me, albeit one I've been plateaud on for a month. I may have instinctively been doing less of a kipping-pullup, and more of a deadhang, as my strength has improved, though.

[Lazarus]

Another go at workout A this afternoon:

Squats: 5x5 160 lb

The bar is beginning to feel more comfortable in the low position, previously was doing high back squats. I'm concerned about my lack of flexibility impeding proper form, time to kick up my stretching frequency.

BP: 5x5 120 lb

Made an effort to touch my chest and stop, then return to lockout, used to stop 2-3 inches short of touching. Added a lot of difficulty for me.

Power Cleans 3x5 120 lb
Dips: 5/5/4 BW
Reverse Crunch: 3x12

[Lazarus]

workout was semi-disastrous today, knocked out my OHP and DL first since the cage was busy, did my first set of squats and felt so weak I just went home. I'm hoping that it's just this heat wave getting to me, though I've been trying to stay hydrated.

OHP: 5x5 75 lb
DL: 1x5 195 lb
squat: 1x5 165 lb

[Wooderson]

Any reason that you aren't starting at the low rights recommended in the program? That may allow you to adjust to 5x5 without burning out.

[Lazarus]

I have a real problem staying hydrated for some reason--even fainted once during high school biology, which was eventually blamed on dehydration. That was on a cold winter day, too. Generally I just try to drink a glass every hour, whether or not I'm thirsty, but sometimes I don't adapt enough for hot spells. If I have another difficult workout I'll definitely rethink my weights though.

[Lazarus]

Feeling better this workout, repeated the unfinished one from Sunday:

Squats: 5x5 165 lb
OHP: 5x5 75
DL: 5x5 195
Pullups 5/4/3 BW
Bridges 3x30sec

[Lazarus]

Had long pickup soccer (football) games on Friday/Saturday, and some indoor rock climbing on Sunday, my first time for that. It's a bit frustrating to be able to lift for 90 minutes and feel great afterwards, but in a couple hours of soccer accumulate enough soreness in hip flexors/hams/lower back to make navigating 100 meters back to my car a significant challenge. Fixing my posture/flexibility to make that not true is rapidly becoming my #1 priority.

Anyway, today's workout, navigating the Memorial Day hordes in the gym:

Squats 5x5 170 lb
BP 5x5 125 lb
Power Cleans 3x5 125 lb
Dips 6/5/4
Reverse Crunches 3x12

[Lazarus]

Today's Workout:

Squats 5x5 175 lb
OHP 3x5 80 lb right shoulder started twinging so I skipped the last 2 sets...If I'd been certain that it was deltoid
tightness and not my rotator cuff complaining I would have powered through, but I wasn't sure
DL 1x5 205 lb
Pullups 4/4/3 BW
Bridges 3x30 seconds

[Lazarus]

Squats 5x5 180 lb
BP 5x5 130 lb
Power Cleans 3x5 130 lb

Really struggled on both the bench press and the cleans, I think I was fatigued but I wouldn't be surprised if I stall soon on both anyway. I'll be a bit upset if my bench stalls before, or even close to, the power clean, at 210 lb body weight it seems like I should be weeks from stalling there :/

Dips 5/4/4
Reverse Crunches 3x12

[Lazarus]

Today's Workout:

Squats 5x5 185 lb
OHP 5x5 85 lb shoulders issues were gone, thankfully

DL 1x5 215 lb
Pullups 4/3/3 BW
Bridges 3x30 seconds

I messed around some with the tips from the Dave Tate bench video that mutt posted last week afterwards, I was putting up 145 lbs with about the same effort as 130 lbs was two days ago, so that was exciting.

[Lazarus]

Played tennis before my workout, so it was a low energy day, but I figure it's good practice in pushing through it. Fun fact: today was the first day that someone at my gym asked me to spot for them. Not much spotting goes on at the Oakland Y, people are too busy doing curls and DB benches to need a spot. So, I was excited, but then he wanted me to spot the DB military press for him, which seemed rather useless.


On to the workout:
Squats
2x5 135 lb
5x5 190 lb

BP 5x5 135 lb
Power Cleans 3x3 135 lb
Dips 5/4/3
Reverse Crunches 3x12

The bench was much improved thanks to the Dave Tate video, although it's still getting heavy. I moved the Power Clean down to sets of 3 since it was getting exhausting, and that seems to be a common set length. It's not that my technique looks to me bad on the cleans, I just feel like I'm not getting the right speed and explosiveness at this weight, so I think I'm also going to pause at 135 lb on them for a few weeks to work on getting rock solid there before trying to progress further.

Bodyweight progress: In the past 3-4 weeks, I first put on 10 pounds with 1/2 GOMAD, then have proceeded to play so much basketball/soccer/rock climbing that I've lost 5 pounds over the past 10 days. In addition, I feel like my strength gains were slowed by this excessive cardio. Not that I don't notice or appreciate the additional cardiovascular fitness , it's just interesting to me to experience the strength/cardio tradeoff personally for the first time, and I definitely plan to balance the two more carefully in the future.

[Lazarus]

Squats 5x5 195 lb
OHP 5x5 90 lb
DL 2x5 215 lb Decided to go up to 2 sets for DL, I feel like a month ago my DL form was better than my squat form, and now it's the other way around. There's really no explanation for this other than that this program calls for 10x the squat volume as DL volume. I'll probably start doing some sets of DL on cardio/off days also.

Pullups 4/3/3 unweighted
Bridges 3x30 seconds

[pagangoddess]

Anyway, today's workout, navigating the Memorial Day hordes in the gym:

That's always such a pleasure isn't it?? Luckily there are 2 power racks and a squat rack at my gym so even on busy days there's at least one available.

[Lazarus]

The Oakland Y has 1 power cage, 0 squat racks. The cage is normally unused though, so it works out. Every once in a while someone will bust out some quarter squats or some barbell shrugs in there. I go late at night though, which probably explains it.