Matt Moran's Training Log

[mattmoran]

Started StrongLifts 5x5 today.

I'm 37 years old, 5'11" tall and weigh 177 pounds (about 80kg). 18% body fat according to my bathroom scale.

My strength goal is to lift my body weight over my head by the end of 2009. Another fitness goal is to run at least 2 10k races this summer/fall plus another 8 or 10 5k races. I don't really have a measurable flexibility goal, unfortunately, but I do want to improve my flexibility as well.
I don't want to gain any weight; I would like to push my body fat % down to 10% or less.

So ideally by the end of 2009 I will be 38 years old, still be 5'11" tall, and weigh between 175 and 180 pounds with around 10% body fat. I will have another dozen or so race t shirts in my dresser drawer and I will be able to lift 180 pounds over my head.

[mattmoran]

March 1, 2009
40 minutes on the treadmill, with the meat being 25 minutes jogging 6 mph at a 3% incline.
15 minutes of stretching.

[americanadian]

And how, specifically, do you plan to achieve all of this?

Good decision on starting a log. There's a BW OHP 'race' going on you could join for extra motivation.

[mattmoran]

March 2, 2009
Front Squats, 5x5 45 lbs (empty bar)
Not hard, but the technique is unfamiliar to me, so I definitely want to take it slow and careful.

Bench, 5x5 45 lbs (empty bar)
Easy. Rested about 15 seconds between each set.

Inverted Row, Heels on floor, 10,6 & 4. Much harder than I thought they'd be.

Pushups, 50, 40 & 20.
I guess I'm supposed to add weight and switch to 3x5? I'll have to look into that. I'm not sure how to add weight to pushups. Maybe I should switch to dips?

Reverse Crunch, 3x12, hands behind head - easy.

10 minutes of stretching.

[mattmoran]

And how, specifically, do you plan to achieve all of this?

Good decision on starting a log. There's a BW OHP 'race' going on you could join for extra motivation.

Well I was hoping that following the Stronglifts 5x5 program would get me there, or at least show me the way. I'll check out the OHP race, thanks for the pointer.

[americanadian]

If you can do dips, do dips. But to answer your question: weights in a back pack, get a vest, have a spotter place a plate/ dumbell on your back, raise your feet...

SL can help get you there, to be sure. I was actually just querying your routine. You had these goals but I didn't see a road map. Sorry for my confusion.

Why front squats?

[mattmoran]

If you can do dips, do dips. But to answer your question: weights in a back pack, get a vest, have a spotter place a plate/ dumbell on your back, raise your feet...

SL can help get you there, to be sure. I was actually just querying your routine. You had these goals but I didn't see a road map. Sorry for my confusion.

Why front squats?

I can do dips. Thanks for the advice. As for "Why front squats?", it's because I don't have access to a squat rack. Front squats seem more appealing than the steinborn lift.

[americanadian]

Ah sooo. Cool. But eventually somebody on this forum is going to tell you to get a rack, which you should get access to anyways as things get heavy. But I can appreciate the adaption.

[mattmoran]

Walked 3.8 miles, 67 minutes.
Stretched for 15 minutes.

Thighs (especially inner thighs) are kind of sore from the squats.

[mattmoran]

30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical machine.
Stretched for 15 minutes.

Thighs are still sore, but not bad. I've been drinking a ton of water. I've decided I'm going to give up diet sodas. Can't wait to do "Workout B" tomorrow.

In case anyone wonders, lifting weights every 3rd day makes a lot more sense with my work schedule than lifting weights on set days of the week. I work 24 hour shifts with 48 hours off between. I don't want to get interrupted by emergency calls while lifting weights. I don't mind having my cardio or stretching get interrupted, but having a weight training session get interrupted would probably really mess things up. So my plan is to lift weights at the end of each shift, when I'm off duty.

[mattmoran]

Ah sooo. Cool. But eventually somebody on this forum is going to tell you to get a rack, which you should get access to anyways as things get heavy. But I can appreciate the adaption.

Yeah thanks. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Probably my best bet is to lobby my department to dump the smith machine and get a squat rack. But I'm not sure how well that will be received; some guys like that thing.

[americanadian]

Probably my best bet is to lobby my department to dump the smith machine and get a squat rack. But I'm not sure how well that will be received; some guys like that thing.

I've been told that everybody is entitled to have an opinion. Not so sure about that myself.

Maybe if you explain how beneficial it would be to casualty carry practice and strength. Can't walk around with a smith machine.

[mattmoran]

First "Workout B" today.

5 minutes warm up on the treadmill
Front Squats, 5x5, 50 lbs
Overhead Press, 5x5, 45 lbs
Deadlift, 1x5, 95lbs
Pull-ups, 5, 3, 3
Prone Bridges, 3x30 seconds
Stretch 15 minutes

Squats were pretty much the same as last workout. A little more comfortable.

Overhead press went well. Took me the first rep to "get" the differences in hand position between the front squat and the overhead press.

I used 95 on the deadlift instead of the called for 88 because it was easier to put a 25 pound plate on each end of the bar than 2 10s and a 2.5. Plus I figured it'd get the height better. I'm not sure, but that might have been a mistake. The technique is so unfamiliar to me, and 5 reps really isn't enough practice to get it right. I'm thinking of trying some deadlifts with just the bar next shift, separate from my regular workout (going to have to prop the bar up on boxes or something). I need to practice the movement before I start adding weight.

I'm kind of disappointed with my pull-up performance.

Prones were a little more challenging than I thought they'd be, but not hard. Fun little ab exercise.

All in all a good workout.

[mattmoran]

Walked 3.3 miles, 63 minutes. Gorgeous weather out.

[mattmoran]

40 minutes on the treadmill at a 3% incline, 25 minutes at 6mph.
15 minutes of stretching.