MrWalk's Training Log

[MrWalk]

Let me get this thing going. I'm a writer - so... sorry I go and go. I'm 40, almost 41 except my Feb 29 birthday won't occur this year. I live in North Carolina, USA. I was fit in the Air Force at 19yrs, but skinny and hitting the gym wasting time on isolation stuff and getting nowhere. I was more fit going into the Army years later at age 26, but still skinny and lost muscle and got skinny doing all the wrong crap with the gym and nutrition again. Several months ago, after years of cushy work-from-home computer systems admin life, I was depressed, fat around the middle, and unhappy. Then I remembered who I was and woke up, got up and started eating right and doing bw exercises gleaned from the military and classic strength training principles.

After progressing quite far in a short time, I was getting a lot of attention and comments and buying new clothes. Trimmed from a 36" to 32" waist and gained some size in the right places. Then, right when I thought I had needed to add real weight training to my new philosophy and apparent success, I found Stronglifts. I'm sure others will understand if I say that the discovery fired me up big time - like hot face, big grin, 'hell yeah!' kinda fired up. It was exactly what I was looking for. I am learning tons. A big thanks to Mehdi and all the people who make this site so great.

Before finding/starting Stronglifts5x5, I progressed from 0 chinups to 10, 6 pushups to 30 w/ weight in a rucksack, 2 inverted rows to 3x8, and a good healthy clip on a 1mile run with 2-3 good hill climbs, and went from 198lbs/89.8kg to 175lbs/79.3kg. My confidence was higher and my belief in myself stronger than ever before. Attitude is unbelievably important, I have found.

Goals: To continue to build functional strength, stamina, character, confidence, and develop the amazing body and mind. I read recently a philosophy along the lines of understanding that we were created as a part of this divine universe and so are also divine - and should consider, respect, and conduct ourselves and each other as such. That sure fits strength training and the attitude here, eh?

Starting Stats (12/28/2008):

H: 6' / 1.8m
W: 175lbs/79.3kg

Bought 300lbs of plates and an Olympic bar (no rack or bench yet (using a hamper for a temp bench - yikes!))
Started SL5x5

SQ: 45lbs
BP: 45lbs
IR: I didn't write the reps down, but it was probably like 10/8/8
PU: didn't write these down either, but probably like 30/27/25
RC: 3x12 hands under a couch. :p

Since I procrastinated so bad in getting this started and to avoid bloating this one post, I am going to post the workouts/comments I recorded on paper in individual posts below.

[MrWalk]

12/30/2008
Second session. I had this whole week off, which is rare for me, to concentrate on SL5x5. I didn't write anything on paper and only filled the spreadsheet.

SQ: 50lbs (Not hard yet, concentrating on form. Very happy (and surprised) with hip mobility and glute involvement and overall comfort level)
OP: 45lbs
DL: 90lbs (first deadlift ever!)
Pull Ups: Didn't write down reps, but something like 4/2/1

I like the prone bridges and with the proper hip alignment/concentration on the abs can feel the burn. I was suprisingly comfortable with my form and mobility and felt confident in my ability to develop form ahead of the weight increases. I vividly remember being so whole-body tired the day after this second session that I thought I was sick. Half-way through a day out with the family I realized that I was tired and worked in a way I had never known before.

[Rocky89]

Welcome!

I'm sure others will understand if I say that the discovery fired me up big time - like hot face, big grin, 'hell yeah!' kinda fired up.

Very good decision to do SL5x5

Goals: To continue to build functional strength, stamina, character, confidence, and develop the amazing body and mind. I read recently a philosophy along the lines of understanding that we were created as a part of this divine universe and so are also divine - and should consider, respect, and conduct ourselves and each other as such. That sure fits strength training and the attitude here, eh?

I like that you attribute a philosophy to strengh training. Indeed attitude is important, by this perspective exercising enters another dimension. You'll grow through strengh training and this will contribute also to other aspects. So, yes, it fits

How was deadlifting the first time? I think you will begin to love this.

You said you were tired. Your body will adapt soon.

[MrWalk]

Hey. Thanks for the reply! Yes, I'm loving SL5x5 and, you're right, I love the deadlift. I laugh out loud everytime at the thought that I had such a weak, easily strained lower back just last year that I wouldn't want to bend over and lift anything too heavy.

I deadlifted 1x5 with 130lbs today and am even deeper in love with it.

I am getting adapted to the routine (# of sqats/wk). I still get a full body tired but less of one and usually after the 3rd session of the week. And, of course, now I know what it is. I'm drinking more water and milk, eating more food, and trying to get more sleep. Wife really getting happy with my physique improvements!

I need to catch up my training log.

[MrWalk]

To catch up:

Jan 2, 2009:
Workout A:
Squat: 55lbs
BP: 50 lbs

I took an extra day off before this third workout because I had been so exhausted after the second session. Because I discovered Stronglifts before the weekend, I got my weights on Saturday and started on that Sunday doing SL5x5 w/ one barbell. Have been using a clothes hamper for a bench.

Jan 4:
Workout B:
Squat: 55 lbs
OP: 50 lbs

Nothing hard yet - just concentrating on form.

Jan 6:
Squat: 65 lbs
BP: 50 lbs

Starting to acheive the focus on the abs that the reverse crunch is supposed to. Feeling these.

[MrWalk]

Jan 8, 2009:

Workout B
Squat: 70lbs
OP: 65lbs
DL: 110lbs

Everything is feeling good. Pretty confident with form developing ahead of weight as designed. Lovin' the compound exercises.

Jan 11:

Squat: 75lbs
BP: 65lbs

Squats getting harder but feeling better. Got to get a bench and power rack soon. Feeling the reverse crunches.

[MrWalk]

Jan 13, 2009 SL5x5:

Squat: 80lbs
OP: 65lbs
DL: 120lbs

Jan 15:

Squat: 85lbs
BP: 70lbs
Inverted Rows: 12/10/10

Somewhere in here I realized I wasn't gaining weight, true to form, even though I am definitely putting on muscle and still cutting fat. I am 6'/1.8m and only 168lbs/76kb at this point, so I relented and started adding Milk to ramp up to GOMAD and increased my intake of food.

[MrWalk]

Jan 18, 2009:

Squat: 90lbs
OP: 70lbs
DL: 130lbs
Chin up: 5/5/3

Best session yet!

Feeling the weight on the squats for sure. Feeling the glute activation and feeling good about the hamstring. They definitely feel right, at least. Believing now that it is common to stall on OP before Squat - wasn't so sure at first.

Went out today and looked at power racks again, because I am getting tired of cleaning and pressing to squat (not to mention the safety factor as the weight comes up) and the bench press is getting squirrely on the hamper. Ended up ordering rack and bench on Amazon. Can't wait to get them!!

[MrWalk]

Jan 20:

Squat: 95lbs
Bench Press: 75lbs
Barbell Rows: 75lbs 5x5 (Like inverted rows, but like barbell rows better. I am assuming the older version had bb rows @ 5x5.)
Pushups: 30/23/20

My wife spotted me for squats and bench press on this and the last session because the weight is getting up there and I don't have my rack or bench yet. Glad they are on the way. The upped food intake and GOMAD are already making a difference. I am gaining weight!!!!

[MrWalk]

The gut check already came up. Woke up dehydrated, a bit tired, and slightly sore from a good effort last time. I tried to defeat myself before the workout thinking of the weight as heavy and myself as weak and tired. I turned the music up, did some extra warm-up sets and psyched myself up to lift well. It was a gut check, but it went well, felt great, and stoked my motivation up higher.

I did video of one set of squats and my form looks good to me at least (got Starting Strength the other day and have almost read the whole thing). Finally experienced some hesitation coming out of the hole on the 24th and 25th reps, but powered thru them. The deadlift felt absolutely powerful. I think a stall is getting close on the OP. I feel great and the weights are coming up - mine and on the bar. GOMAD is working - t-shirts getting tight in chest and arms. Power rack and bench should be here today or tomorrow!

Squat: 100lbs 5x5
Press: 75lbs 5x5
Deadlift: 140lbs 1x5
ChinUps: 8/4/4
Prone Bridges: 3x30 (really felt these after this lifting session)

Body Weight: 174lbs

[MrWalk]

Ha! Two trucks came minutes apart. The first had my bench, the second my power rack.

Now I have to build it and then wait until Sunday to really use it.

[MrWalk]

I got my power rack and bench built today in between oncall emergencies. I can't wait to hit it tomorrow. Just not going to have any sleep before the 6:30am computer work.

[Rocky89]

I got my power rack and bench built today

nice
good luck on your progress!

[MrWalk]

Thanks, Man! I had to work all morning after getting paged at 5:00am. Ate nuts and drank milk and pushed thru the work and then got a break to catch some more sleep then eat a big, real breakfast. Then I got paged, worked, and then got a break and got my workout in.

I was clunky and tired, but the power rack and bench really sped me up and allowed me to concentrate on the exercises themselves. Much easier to load weights and set up the exercises and the safety factor removes that little nagging concern as the weight comes up. I warmed up in the rack with the bar to get used to it and set the pins. The lack of sleep and (uh-oh) the couple of vodka & orange juice drinks I had the night before definitely had me in less than top form and the warm-ups sets didn't feel too great.

I practiced dumping the bar on the pins in case of a failed rep, got comfortable with that and then loaded the bar! The squats with weight actually felt much better than the warm-up sets. I cranked out my 5x5 and felt better doing them because I didn't have to mini-one-hand-deadlift the bar to get plates on and off and certainly didn't have to clean and press the weight each time to squat it (I wasn't front squatting, I was cleaning, pressing, then squatting ATG in low-bar).

Squat: 5x5 105lbs (form issues on last couple of reps in 3rd set, addressed and the last two sets were the best)
Bench: 5x5 80lbs
Inv row: 12/8/9 (changed to supinated grip for the middle set)
Pushup: 28/12/10 (added my backpack with a 25lb plate for the last two sets)
Rev Crunch: 3x12

[Rocky89]

then eat a big, real breakfast

Hehe, one of the best habits you can develop with strengthtraining.

I was clunky and tired
The lack of sleep and (uh-oh) the couple of vodka & orange juice drinks I had the night before definitely had me in less than top form and the warm-ups sets didn't feel too great.

Well, you were tired but at least you showed up and this is a small victory in itself.

Btw: initial motivation is not constant, discipline is what carries you further- just to keep in mind...
but it seems to me that you have plenty of both keep continuing, keep it long-term