My Story

[xct84]

Mehdi asked me to post this here as I had posted it in another forum to answer a question.

I started 5x5 in mid Dec 2008. I went through the first 12 weeks adding the weight based on the excel program with no probs. Started my 2nd 12 weeks on 5x5 after adjusting the excel program to current weights in mid March 2009. When I hit week 5 of the 2nd 12 weeks, I was up to 290 on squats, 170 on bench, stuck at 155 on shoulder press and stuck at 300 on deadlifts, all numbers in lbs. My knees were killin' me, my form on squats sucked. I took a week off. I had been doing 3 days a week since Dec with no breaks. I started the 2nd 12 weeks over again and am progressing normally.

When I started I weighed 235 lbs @ 5'9" with 30% body fat. I am down to 210 with 15% body fat and too be honest, I have been a lot more diligent on the lifting side then the diet side. I'm 47 1/2, what can I say, I like food and beer.

Point of all this background is, the 1.5 BW for 5x5 is completely doable if you are diligent, concentrate on form, deload when needed and listen to your body.

I think I need to add that I work out at home. I have a squat rack, stand alone bench and chin up / dip tower to go with 525 lbs of olympic weights and bars.

[holvoetn]

Welcome and thanks for sharing this story.
This is what this is all about: common sense, determination and perseverance. Success guaranteed after that !

BTW what are/were your goals ?

PS you must be the youngest one around ... mentally

[xct84]

My goals were very simple, get back into decent shape. I was always in shape and working out in one form or another until late 1995 when I became a road warrior. Constant, non-stop business travel, mad hours at the client site. I got off that roller coaster in 2003, but it took me until the fall of 2008 to become so disgusted with my fat gut, out of shape self that I manned up and started hittin' the weights again.

[holvoetn]

Sounds familiar