Parallax's Training Log

[parallax]

Hello everyone. I started SL 5x5 a week ago, so I'm starting up this training log. I'll start with my basic info from before I started:

Age: 27
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140 lb
Body fat: Don't know but I'm skinny except for a slight beer gut

Goals: Currently I'm skinny and weak. I'd like to be stronger and have a more muscular look. As far as more concrete goals, I see squatting 1.5x body weight as time to graduate from SL 5x5, so I'll shoot for that. Shorter term goal: Gain weight up to 176 lb and squat 1x body weight.
Timeline: Fast. I'd like to have some noticeable visual gains in time for Thanksgiving, and I'd like to have a look I can be proud of in six months.

I have access to 3 gyms:
1. A small gym in my condo complex. A few cardio machines, a bench, some weight machines, and a pullup bar.
2. The free student gym where I go to grad school. Pretty big gym, has 3 squat racks and lots of other stuff, but so far I haven't found a good way to do inverted rows there. However It's a long drive to that gym and I'm only on campus on Fridays.
3. My main gym, which I just signed up for for this program. I pay month to month in case it becomes practical to use the school gym 3x a week. Has an olympic platform and everything I need except no straight pullup bar.

Workout A
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Inverted Rows 3xF
Push-ups 3xF
Reverse Crunch 3x12

Workout B
Squat 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3xF
Prone Bridges 3x30sec

The plan right now is Mon/Wed at the main gym and Fri at the college gym. I can't do a whole pullup or chinup yet so I'm removing that from workout B, and instead will do chinup training 6 days a week at home. I'll follow the program here: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-increase- ... he-pullup/. So I'll be doing 5 assisted chinup singles 6 times a week the first week. I ordered a flex band, and will do negatives until it arrives.

And now for my log so far:

Sat 9/27
Squat 45lb 5x5
Bench 45lb 5x5
Inverted Row: 0, 3, 3. This was more difficult than I expected. I put the bar in one of the bottom rows on the squat rack, and pulled up from the floor since this is easier than with elevated feet. I couldn't bring my chest all the way up to the bar on my first set (got within about an inch). So for my next 2 sets I did them bent leg, and got in 3 reps each before I didn't quite make it.
Pushups: 22, 9, 10
Reverse crunches: 3x12. I don't think I had the technique quite right on these. I've reviewed it on stronglifts.com since then.

Tue 9/30 (was still in the process of signing up for the gym, so I wasn't able to go Mon):
Squat 50 5x5
Overhead press 45 5x5
Deadlift 85 1x5
Pullups: Couldn't do any
Prone bridges: 3x30 sec

Fri 10/3 (had to come in to work early Thurs morning, had to delay my morning working till Fri):
Squat 55 5x5: This gym had the squat rack in front of a mirror, so I could watch my technique. I don't think I'd been going below parallel up until now, but I fixed it today.
Bench 50 5x5
Inverted rows: All the squat racks had metal attachments on the ground where I would need to lie. I think they were for securing a bench or something? Next time I'm at that gym I'll see if they have a smith machine I could use for inverted rows. If not, I guess I could learn barbell rows. So today I skipped this one.
Pushups: 16, 5, 11
Prone bridges: 3x30 sec. I should have been doing inverted crunches today but I hadn't looked up proper technique yet.
Pullups: 3x4 jumping up, then lowering myself down. Even with this approach I couldn't get my chin over the bar.

Sun 10/4:
Starting my chinup training. I tried the same jumping technique on the bar at home, but couldn't get high enough for it to be effective. I used a stool to get my chin over the bar (with a chinup grip) then lowered myself down for 5 singles. I'll be repeating this 6 days a week.

I've never been a big eater, so getting enough calories was tough the first few days. It's getting easier. According to fitday I cleared 3000 calories Thursday and 3500 Friday. I'm using whey protein and creatine, and drinking whole milk. Not a gallon a day yet, but today I've already downed a half gallon.

Now I have to decide whether to work out tomorrow, or take Sunday off and start a Mon/Wed/Fri schedule. I'm leaning towards going ahead and working out since my last 2 workouts were already delayed.

Oh, and after a week my weight is up to about 150-152 today (readings from 2 different scales).

I'll update this as I make progress. Comments are always welcome!

[rere]

Welcome.
Keeping a log is immense.
You can look back on it and marvel at where you came from, its very inspiring.
I wish you well

Peace.

[parallax]

Sun 10/5:

Squat 60 5x5 *
OH press 50 5x5 *
Deadlift 95 1x5 *
Reverse Crunch 40 3x12 *
Chinup negatives 5x1

* = personal record

I got some pain in my left hip during the first reverse crunch set and had to pause partway through the set. The same thing happened last time I did them. I'm not exactly sure what caused it but after resting for a moment it went away.

The plan is more pullup negatives tomorrow, then workout A on Tuesday.

[parallax]

Tue 10/7:
Squat 65 5x5 *
Bench 55 5x5
Inverted Row (bent knee) 4 2 3
Pushups 16 10 11
Rev Crunch 35 3x12

Fri 10/10:
Squat 70 5x5 *
Press 55 5x5 *
Deadlift 105 5x5 *
Prone bridge 3x30 sec

I need to catch up on some chinup negatives, haven't done them in a few days.